The Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lekki, Lagos is undergoing modifications to increase its production capacity from 650,000 to 700,000 barrels per day. The upgrade is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2025.
President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, revealed this during a tour of the facility. He said the Residue Fluid Catalytic Cracking unit is currently operating at 85 percent capacity due to the ongoing modifications. Other components of the refinery, he noted, have reached or even exceeded 100 percent capacity.
Dangote disclosed that the refinery purchased 19 million barrels of crude oil from the United States between June and July, with 10 million barrels bought in early July alone. This accounts for about 55 percent of the refinery’s current crude supply.
He said the decision to build the refinery followed a failed attempt to acquire government-owned refineries in 2007. Despite the challenges, he expressed confidence in the project’s long-term impact on energy security in Nigeria and across Africa.
He explained that most African countries rely on fuel imports, with only Algeria and Libya being self-sufficient. He also criticized the role of foreign interests in undermining local industries through excessive importation.
Dangote stressed that the group had to take bold risks to deliver the project and prove that large-scale industrial ventures are achievable in Africa.
