Key facts
- Dangote refinery is constructing a second crude processing unit.
- The new unit will add 700,000 barrels per day of capacity.
- The expansion aims to make the refinery competitive with global sites.
- The new unit is expected to be online by the end of 2028.
- Dangote is also planning a push into oil trading.
Africa's largest refinery, the Dangote refinery in Nigeria, has commenced work on a second crude processing unit. This expansion will introduce an additional 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) of capacity to the complex. According to David Bird, CEO of Dangote Petroleum Refinery, construction is actively underway at the Lekki site near Lagos. The objective of this expansion is to position the refinery as a major competitor to the world's largest refining facilities and to significantly enhance Aliko Dangote's standing in global fuel markets. The new processing unit is projected to become operational by the close of 2028, further increasing the refinery's overall output. The company is also planning a push into oil trading.