Dangote Petroleum Refinery on Thursday, June 4, ramped up crude processing to 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) during a performance test by process licensors, exceeding its nameplate capacity of 650,000 bpd and marking a significant operational milestone.
Devakumar Edwin, vice president for oil and gas at Dangote Industries, said the ramp-up is part of a broader plan to expand the refinery’s capacity to 1.4 million bpd within 30 months, a level that could make it one of the largest refining facilities in the world.
The refinery, owned by billionaire Aliko Dangote, began fuel production in 2024 and has since increased output of petrol, diesel and jet fuel.
It supplies the domestic market and exports to several African countries and European nations, including the United Kingdom (UK), France and the Netherlands. It also ships refined products to the United States (US) and Saudi Arabia.
The Dangote Refinery has emerged as a key supplier amid global supply disruptions linked to tensions in the Middle East, with African buyers increasingly seeking more reliable fuel sources.
Exports rose to 353,000 bpd in April from 168,000 bpd in February, with approximately half of that volume destined for other African countries.
The increase underscores the rapid expansion of Africa’s largest refinery and its growing role as a regional supplier.
However, analysts caution that it is still too early to determine whether the trend reflects a lasting shift in trade patterns, particularly after exports declined to 285,000 bpd in May.
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