The President and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has announced plans to expand the capacity of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery from 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 1.4 million bpd, positioning it as the largest refinery in the world.
In an interview with S&P Global, Dangote revealed that the expansion would be supported by Middle Eastern investors, aiming to double production capacity and reinforce Africa’s energy independence.
Earlier in July, The Punch reported that the refinery intended to increase capacity to 700,000 bpd by December 2025.
The new goal, however, far exceeds that target, with plans to surpass India’s Jamnagar Refinery, currently the world’s largest with a 1.36 million bpd capacity.
The Dangote Refinery, located in Lekki, Lagos, has already made Nigeria a net exporter of diesel and jet fuel, drastically reducing the country’s dependence on fuel imports from Europe.
Dangote described his mission to ensure Africa’s energy self-sufficiency as a “herculean task.”
“We might have to rebuild the refinery here rather than elsewhere,” he said. “Constructing it in another country would require huge investments in infrastructure, which we already have in Nigeria.”
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According to S&P Global Commodity Insights, Nigeria’s net gasoline imports could more than double between 2026 and 2027, reaching nearly 200,000 bpd by 2030 due to economic and population growth.
Engineers at the Lekki complex noted that the site was designed to accommodate future expansion, with sufficient space to construct a second refining unit.
The planned development may include a vacuum distillation unit to enhance light fuel yields.
Dangote also disclosed plans to expand the company’s polypropylene production capacity from one million to 1.5 million metric tonnes annually, alongside new linear alkylbenzene and base oil projects.
Despite a projection by the International Energy Agency (IEA) that global refining capacity will exceed demand by 11.4 million bpd by 2030, Dangote dismissed models that perpetuate Africa’s reliance on fuel imports. He emphasized that without major private investments, the continent risks energy insecurity.
“Most African governments lack the capacity to build large refineries,” he noted, describing smaller facilities like Angola’s Cabinda plant as “a drop in the ocean.”
To fund the refinery’s next phase and related petrochemical projects, Dangote recently secured $4 billion in financing and is exploring partnerships with Middle Eastern firms.
“Our business model will evolve,” he said. “Instead of being 100% Dangote-owned, we will welcome strategic partners.”
Dangote also revealed plans to list 5–10% of the refinery’s shares on the Nigerian Stock Exchange within the next year, aiming to eventually retain only 65–70% ownership.
He added that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) could increase its current 7.2% stake once the next growth phase is underway.
“I want to show what this refinery can achieve before we revisit that conversation,” he said.
On operations, the refinery’s residue fluid catalytic cracker (RFCC) was temporarily shut down in September after a three-week maintenance period in August, sparking speculation about production halts.
Dangote’s Vice President for refinery operations, Devakumar Edwin, confirmed that the RFCC resumed operations around October 7 and would soon reach full capacity.
Dangote added that another month-long maintenance shutdown is being planned, though the refinery’s crude distillation unit (CDU) and other systems will remain operational. Full turnarounds are only required every five years, he noted.
He assured that maintenance schedules would be planned to avoid disruptions during peak fuel demand periods toward the end of the year.
