Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has announced that it has increased its crude oil processing capacity to 700,000 barrels per day (bpd), exceeding its official nameplate capacity of 650,000 bpd.
The refinery said the milestone was achieved during a performance test conducted by its process licensors, reflecting improved operational efficiency across its production units.
According to the company, the increase demonstrates the refinery’s ability to process additional crude volumes while optimising overall plant performance.
Vice-President for Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin, explained that the expansion forms part of a broader strategy to raise refining capacity to 1.4 million bpd within the next 30 months.
He said the planned scale-up is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s energy security, eliminate dependence on imported refined petroleum products and position the refinery as a major regional export hub.
Edwin noted that the refinery’s long-term objective extends beyond domestic fuel sufficiency to establishing continental and global refining leadership.
Earlier, Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Refinery, David Bird, had indicated that the facility would soon increase production from its 650,000 bpd nameplate capacity to 700,000 bpd.
He stated that the refinery currently has sufficient production capacity to meet fuel demand and would focus on maximising output efficiency.
Founder of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, had also disclosed plans in October 2025 to expand the refinery’s processing capacity to 1.4 million bpd within three years.
The refinery, which commenced fuel production in 2024, has steadily increased output of petrol, diesel, aviation fuel and other refined petroleum products.
It has since become a major supplier to both domestic and international markets, exporting products to several African countries and European destinations including the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.
The facility has also supplied gasoline to the United States market and jet fuel to Saudi Arabia.
Dangote Refinery has increasingly emerged as an important player in regional energy security amid ongoing global supply disruptions linked to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
According to S&P Global Commodities, the refinery became the world’s largest exporter of jet fuel in April.
The refinery has also contributed significantly to reducing Nigeria’s reliance on imported petroleum products while easing pressure on the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
Its continued expansion aligns with broader national efforts to strengthen local refining capacity and maximise value from Nigeria’s crude oil resources.