- Dangote Refinery processed 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day during a performance test, surpassing its 650,000 bpd design capacity.
- The company plans to expand capacity to 1.4 million bpd within 30 months as exports continue to grow across Africa, Europe, and other global markets.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has increased crude oil processing to 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) during a performance test conducted by process licensors. The achievement exceeds the refinery’s nameplate capacity of 650,000 bpd and marks a major operational milestone for the facility.
Devakumar Edwin, Vice President for Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries, said the performance test forms part of a broader strategy to expand the refinery’s processing capacity to 1.4 million bpd within the next 30 months. If achieved, the expansion would position the facility among the largest refineries in the world.
The refinery, owned by Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote, began fuel production in 2024 and has steadily increased output of petrol, diesel, and aviation fuel. Today, the facility supplies the Nigerian market and exports refined products to several countries across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North America.
Key export destinations include the United Kingdom, France, Netherlands, United States, and Saudi Arabia.
The refinery has strengthened its position in global fuel markets as supply disruptions linked to tensions in the Middle East continue to affect trade flows. Consequently, many African buyers have turned to Dangote Refinery as a more reliable source of refined petroleum products.
According to data from analytics firm Kpler, exports increased significantly from 168,000 bpd in February to 353,000 bpd in April. About half of those exports went to African countries, highlighting the refinery’s growing role in meeting regional fuel demand.
Although exports declined to 285,000 bpd in May, analysts believe the refinery has established itself as a major supplier in Africa’s energy market. However, they caution that it remains too early to determine whether the recent shift in trade flows will become permanent.
Mick Strautmann, a market analyst at Vortexa, noted that Dangote Refinery continues to increase its share of Africa’s seaborne fuel imports. According to him, the market is witnessing a gradual shift towards greater regional sourcing of refined petroleum products.
Meanwhile, the refinery has built a substantial surplus of jet fuel, creating opportunities to serve international aviation markets. Chief Executive David Bird recently stated that the facility has sufficient capacity to supply jet fuel to customers worldwide.
As production continues to rise, the refinery is attracting growing interest from international crude oil suppliers and commodity trading firms. The latest processing milestone further strengthens its position as Africa’s largest refinery and a key player in global refined fuel markets.