Dangote Refinery Targets 1.4 Million Barrels Daily Capacity as Expansion Accelerates

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery is preparing for a massive scale-up of its operations, with plans to expand processing capacity from the current 650,000 barrels per day to 1.4 million barrels per day within the next three years. This was confirmed by the Managing Director of Dangote Refinery Plc, David Bird, during a press briefing held on Wednesday at the refinery complex in Lagos.

Bird outlined an ambitious but carefully coordinated timeline that will hinge on what he described as the “ruthless replication” of the existing refinery design. By avoiding redesigns or engineering alterations, he said, the company will be able to fast-track procurement and construction activities.

“The idea here is ruthless replication. We will not need to tinker; we will not need to re-engineer. So we can get straight into ordering the long-lead items and commencing construction,” Bird explained, noting that extensive groundwork already completed gives the company confidence in meeting the three-year delivery target.

According to Bird, two major work streams will run simultaneously. The first is the procurement of long-lead equipment, which Dangote Refinery expects to largely finalize in the early months of 2026. The second involves core construction activities—piling and site preparation—which are scheduled to commence before the end of this month.

He emphasized that the project will benefit from preparatory work carried out years earlier, including large-scale land reclamation and elevation efforts that have made the expansion site immediately usable. “The incredible thing about this site and the vision of the president, Aliko Dangote, is that land has already been reclaimed, prepared, and raised by about one to one-and-a-half metres,” Bird noted.

Because the land is already fully primed for development, he added, the typically time-consuming stages of site preparation will not be necessary. As a result, piling and foundational work will begin this year, with visible steel structures expected to rise before the end of 2026.

The refinery’s expansion was first revealed by Aliko Dangote in October, signaling a bold new phase for what is already Africa’s largest single-train refinery. Once completed, the enhanced facility will significantly boost Nigeria’s domestic refining capability, reduce reliance on fuel imports, and position the country as a major hub for refined petroleum exports.

Bird concluded by reaffirming the company’s confidence in its accelerated schedule. “Our belief is that we can bring this expansion online within three years,” he said.

If achieved, the expanded Dangote Refinery will rank among the world’s most powerful refining complexes, with far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s energy security, foreign exchange stability, and the future of its downstream oil and gas sector.