Africa’s industrial giant, Aliko Dangote, has unveiled plans to expand the Dangote Petroleum Refinery from its current 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) to a staggering 1.4 million bpd, positioning it as the largest refinery in the world once completed.
Speaking during a press briefing in Lagos on Sunday, Dangote said work on the expansion will begin immediately and is designed to surpass India’s Jamnagar Refinery, which currently holds the global top spot.
“We are expanding the Dangote Petroleum Refinery from 650,000 barrels per day to 1.4 million barrels per day. Upon completion, this will make it the largest refinery in the world,” he announced.
The billionaire industrialist revealed that the project will create around 65,000 jobs, with 85 percent of those opportunities reserved for Nigerians. He also confirmed that the refinery will upgrade its fuel production to Euro VI standards, in line with the most advanced global environmental requirements.
As part of the development, the refinery’s power generation capacity will also increase from 500 megawatts to 1,000 megawatts, ensuring uninterrupted energy supply for operations.
Dangote further disclosed plans to list the refinery on the Nigerian Stock Exchange by 2026, allowing Nigerians to invest and become shareholders in the multibillion-dollar project.
He expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his consistent support, adding that the expansion is expected to be completed within three years.
With this bold move, the Dangote Refinery is on course to transform Nigeria’s energy landscape, reduce dependency on fuel imports, and solidify Africa’s place in the global oil market.
