Expansion to Double Output as Construction Begins Immediately at Lagos Refinery Complex
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has set an ambitious three-year timeline to more than double its processing capacity, increasing output from 650,000 barrels per day to 1.4 million barrels per day.
Managing Director of Dangote Refinery Plc, David Bird, disclosed this on Wednesday during a press briefing at the refinery site in Lagos, saying the expansion would rely on a direct duplication of the existing facility rather than a new design.
Bird explained that the project would follow what he described as a strategy of “ruthless replication,” allowing the company to bypass lengthy redesign and engineering phases.
“There will be no redesign and no re-engineering. We are simply replicating what already works, which means we can move straight into ordering long-lead equipment and starting construction,” he said.
According to him, extensive preparatory and pre-investment work already completed at the site gives the company confidence that the expanded refinery can be delivered within the projected timeframe.
“We are firmly confident that this expansion can be completed within three years,” Bird added.
Procurement and Construction to Run Side by Side
Bird revealed that two major phases of the project would be executed simultaneously. The first involves the procurement of long-lead equipment, which is expected to be largely concluded in the early months of 2026. The second phase focuses on early construction activities, including piling and site preparation.
He said groundwork would begin almost immediately.
“Within this year, we will place orders for all long-lead items, and before the end of this month, we expect to commence piling and site preparation,” he stated.
Bird noted that projects of this scale are often delayed by land preparation challenges, but those obstacles have already been eliminated at the Dangote site.
Prepared Site Accelerates Timeline
The refinery’s location, he said, is a major advantage, crediting the vision behind the original project for significantly shortening the expansion schedule.
“The land here has already been reclaimed, fully prepared, and elevated by about one to one-and-a-half metres,” Bird said. “All the necessary groundwork has been done, so the usual delays associated with site preparation simply don’t apply.”
As a result, foundation work will proceed this year, while procurement continues in parallel. Structural development is expected to advance quickly.
“We anticipate that by the end of this year, steel will begin rising from the ground,” he added.
Expansion First Revealed in October
Dangote Group first announced plans to scale the refinery’s capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day in October, signaling a major expansion of what is already Africa’s largest single-train refinery.
Once completed, the upgrade is expected to significantly boost Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity, cut reliance on imported petroleum products, and enhance the country’s position as a regional hub for refined fuel exports.
Reiterating confidence in the schedule, Bird said the company remains committed to delivering the project on time.
“We strongly believe this expansion will be fully operational within three years.”
If realized, the expanded facility would rank among the largest refining complexes in the world, with far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s energy security, foreign exchange inflows, and downstream oil and gas sector.
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