Dangote Industries Limited has unveiled ambitious plans to significantly increase its refining capacity, targeting a combined 2.1 million barrels per day across its operations in Nigeria and Kenya. This expansion is a cornerstone of its long-term strategy to enhance its presence across the African continent.
Devakumar Edwin, Group Vice President, Oil and Gas, Dangote Industries Limited, disclosed these plans during a visit by a delegation from the Republic of the Congo’s national oil company, Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo (SNPC), to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lagos.
Refining Expansion and Future Investments
The group's total refining capacity is projected to reach 2.1 million barrels per day, comprising 1.4 million barrels per day from its Nigerian facility and an additional 700,000 barrels per day from a planned refining complex in Kenya, designed to serve East African markets.
Beyond refining, Dangote Industries Limited also intends to invest an additional $46 billion between 2026 and 2028. This substantial investment will be allocated across its refining, cement, and fertiliser businesses, aiming to accelerate industrialisation throughout Africa.
Strategic Partnership with Republic of Congo
The visit by the Congolese delegation, led by SNPC Managing Director Maixent Raoul Ominga, focused on discussions for a strategic partnership. This collaboration aims to strengthen the Republic of the Congo’s supply of refined petroleum products and advance regional energy cooperation and industrial integration across Africa.
Ominga described the Dangote Petroleum Refinery as a strategic asset for Africa and expressed SNPC’s interest in developing a long-term partnership. He noted that the Republic of the Congo possesses refining capacity and is keen to explore cooperation opportunities to enhance petroleum product supply and create mutual value.
Discussions covered potential collaboration in refining, petroleum product supply, energy security, industrial development, and knowledge sharing. Ominga commended the Dangote Group for demonstrating Africa's capability to finance, build, and operate world-class industrial infrastructure, highlighting the refinery as a significant milestone in the continent’s industrial transformation.
Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, reaffirmed the group’s commitment to Africa’s industrialisation through value addition, regional partnerships, and continent-wide investment. He stated, “We are for Africa, not just Nigeria. Tell us what you need, and we will see how we can work together.”
Dangote emphasized that the refinery has set a new benchmark for fuel quality in Africa by producing petroleum products that meet the highest international specifications. This initiative aims to improve access to cleaner fuels and reduce Africa’s dependence on imported refined products from outside the continent.
The engagement underscored a shared commitment between SNPC and Dangote Industries to deepen African energy cooperation, strengthen regional value chains, and promote greater self-sufficiency in refined petroleum products, contributing to enhanced energy security and increased intra-African trade.
Also present at the meeting were Fatima Dangote, Group Executive Director, Commercial, Oil and Gas, Dangote Industries Limited; Peggy Ndongo, Adviser to the President of the Republic of the Congo; and Aymar Ebiou and Norbert Mabiala, advisers to the SNPC Managing Director.
