The Dangote Petroleum Refinery, the largest in Africa and owned by billionaire Aliko Dangote, is currently undergoing upgrades to boost production from 650,000 to 700,000 barrels per day.
This expansion aims to increase output and enhance the refinery’s global ranking once completed.
Aliko Dangote, head of the Dangote Group—one of Africa’s most diversified manufacturers—shared this development on Sunday.
He explained that the upgrade will add 50,000 barrels per day and should be ready by the last quarter of 2025.
Due to ongoing modifications, the refinery won’t operate at full capacity this year, though he expressed confidence in the progress.
By July, the refinery’s Residue Fluid Catalytic Cracking (RFCC) unit was running at 85 percent capacity.
This unit plays a critical role in converting heavy oil into lighter fuels like gasoline, diesel, and LPG.
Dangote noted that the refinery will reach 700,000 barrels per day once modifications are complete, as other parts are already operating at or above capacity.
Between June and July, the refinery imported 19 million barrels of crude oil from the United States.
In early July alone, it secured 10 million barrels, which made up 55 percent of the refinery’s monthly supply.
He confirmed that this amount is more than half of what the plant currently requires.
Since launching in 2024, the $19 billion refinery has steadily increased production.
By mid-2024, it was processing 350,000 barrels per day, rising to 500,000 barrels per day by January 2025.
This growing capacity has helped reduce Nigeria’s reliance on fuel imports.
For the first time in over ten years, South Africa has surpassed Nigeria as Africa’s largest fuel importer.
Beyond fuel, Dangote has committed $467 million to deploy 4,000 CNG-powered trucks to transport petroleum products across the country.
This move supports Nigeria’s energy transition and helps lower transport costs.
Work also continues at Dangote’s $3 billion fertilizer facility, which contributes to reducing Africa’s dependence on imported fertilizers.
source: www.billionaires.africa
African Energy Council