Honeywell deploys AI at Dangote Refinery, targets $60 million in annual benefits

Honeywell Technologies has announced the deployment of a new industrial artificial intelligence (AI) platform at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lekki, Lagos.

Called Forge Plant Cognition, the platform could generate more than $60 million in annual gross operational benefits when the refinery operates at full capacity, according to Honeywell’s announcement on Monday.

It combines NVIDIA’s AI and accelerated computing capabilities with Dell Technologies’ AI infrastructure to improve refinery throughput, productivity and profitability, according to a statement from Honeywell.

Honeywell said preliminary estimates indicate that the platform could deliver operational benefits exceeding $0.29 per barrel at the refinery. The company stressed that the projections are based on preliminary data and are not guaranteed.

AI platform combines real-time data with industrial expertise

Forge Plant Cognition is designed to help refining, petrochemical and liquefied natural gas (LNG) operators improve the performance of existing assets by identifying operational constraints, anticipating problems and translating data into actions that improve plant operations.

• Built on Honeywell’s Forge Cognition platform, the solution combines industrial automation, process technology expertise and AI capabilities to support operational decision-making.
• Unlike conventional AI solutions that primarily analyse data and generate recommendations, the platform combines real-time operating data, engineering knowledge, trusted calculations and physics-based models to help operators improve plant performance.

Honeywell said the deployment at the Dangote Refinery also aims to strengthen the capabilities of local engineering and operations teams.

• “Industrial plants are among the most complex operating environments in the world, with enormous potential to realize greater performance and value using digital technologies and connected solutions,” said Rajesh Gattupalli, President of Honeywell Technologies UOP.

Honeywell’s role in Dangote’s expansion plans

Honeywell’s partnership with Dangote Industries covers both the expansion of its Nigerian refinery and the group’s plans to develop refining capacity elsewhere in Africa.

In November 2025, Dangote Industries partnered with Honeywell to support the expansion of its Lagos refinery from its existing nameplate capacity of 650,000 barrels per day to 1.4 million barrels per day by 2028.

• The expansion would more than double the refinery’s processing capacity, increasing its potential to supply petroleum products to Nigeria and international markets.
• Progress towards that target was reflected in June 2026, when Dangote Refinery raised its crude processing capacity to 700,000 barrels per day.

Honeywell’s work with Dangote also extends beyond Nigeria. In September 2026, Dangote selected Honeywell Technologies to provide engineering services, licensing and equipment for its planned 700,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Lamu County, Kenya.