Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has increased its crude oil processing capacity to 700,000 barrels per day (bpd), surpassing its original nameplate capacity of 650,000 bpd following a successful performance test conducted by its Process Licensors.

This is according to a statement from Dangote Group on Thursday.

According to the statement, the increased throughput demonstrates the refinery’s engineering capability and ability to optimize operations while processing additional crude oil volumes.

What the officials are saying 

Dangote Industries said the refinery’s latest performance test validates its ability to operate above its initial design capacity and supports plans for further expansion.

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  • Vice-President, Oil and Gas, Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin, said the refinery’s growth forms part of a broader strategy to expand total processing capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day within the next 30 months.
  • According to Edwin, the expansion is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s energy security and eliminate dependence on imported refined petroleum products.
  • He added that the company’s long-term objective is to position the facility among the largest refining complexes globally while establishing Nigeria as a major refining and export hub.

The company noted that the refinery’s expansion strategy goes beyond domestic fuel supply and is aimed at increasing its influence across regional and international petroleum markets.

More Insights  

Owned by Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote, the refinery commenced fuel production in 2024 and has steadily increased output across key petroleum products including petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

  • The refinery was initially designed with a nameplate capacity of 650,000 barrels per day.
  • It has emerged as a major supplier of refined petroleum products to Nigeria and several international markets.
  • Refined products from the facility have been exported to African countries as well as European markets including the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands.
  • The refinery has also supplied gasoline to the United States and jet fuel to Saudi Arabia.

The facility has gained increasing global relevance amid disruptions in international energy markets, with many African countries turning to the refinery as an alternative source of refined products.

In April, S&P Global Commodities reported that Dangote Petroleum Refinery became the world’s largest exporter of jet fuel, highlighting its growing influence in global fuel supply chains.

What you should know

Dangote Group recently announced plans to more than double the refinery’s capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day by 2028 through the construction of an additional refining facility at the Lekki complex.

  • The planned expansion would bring total processing capacity to levels comparable with the world’s largest refining complexes.
  • The refinery is expected to support downstream industries through the supply of LPG, polypropylene, and other industrial feedstocks.
  • The company also plans future production of Linear Alkylbenzene (LAB), a key raw material used in detergent manufacturing.