Nigeria’s Dangote refinery has ramped up crude oil processing to 700,000 barrels per day during a performance test by licensors.

This exceeds its original design capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, marking a significant operational milestone.

Vice President for Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries, Devakumar Edwin, said on Thursday, 4 June, that the increase is part of a plan to expand the refinery’s capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day within 30 months.

If achieved, the Dangote refinery will become one of the largest globally.

The refinery, owned by billionaire Aliko Dangote, began fuel production in 2024 after years of construction costing $20 billion.

Domestic and international supplies

It has since scaled up output of petrol, diesel, and jet fuel. It supplies domestic markets and exports to African countries and Europe, including the United Kingdom, France and the Netherlands. It also ships products to the United States and Saudi Arabia.

Earlier on Tuesday, 2 June, the refinery’s Chief Executive, David Bird, said at a conference in London that the facility had a large surplus of jet fuel and could supply the product "all over the world".

He added that the facility aims to ensure regular refining of 700,000 barrels per day "by the end of 2028".

Dangote refinery has recently become a major supplier amid global supply disruptions caused by tensions in the Middle East.

It has emerged as a shock absorber and a major supplier across Africa. However, analysts caution it is too early to determine whether the trend represents a lasting shift.

Others also say pump prices keep skyrocketing even in Nigeria, where the refinery is located, with some questioning whether final consumers are enjoying the benefits.

Nonetheless, the Dangote refinery is widely praised for helping African countries reduce their reliance on imports from outside the continent and for the billionaire’s efforts to establish more refineries across the continent.