LAGOS, Nigeria – The Nigerian landscape has forever been changed with the inauguration on Monday, May 22, 2023, of the world’s largest single-train refinery.
The 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) Dangote Refinery, an industrial behemoth owned by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has been officially commissioned, marking a watershed moment in Africa’s petroleum industry.
The cutting-edge facility is nestled in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, covering approximately 2,635 hectares, an area seven times the size of Victoria Island.
This makes it not just the world’s largest single-train refinery, but also one of the most sprawling industrial developments in Africa.
“It’s a landmark accomplishment,” Dangote said at the inauguration ceremony attended by a plethora of dignitaries. “We are proud to be at the forefront of refining innovation and capacity, not just in Nigeria but on the world stage.”
The refinery is poised to meet 100% of Nigeria’s refined product requirements – including gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and aviation fuel. Impressively, it will also have a surplus of each product for export, significantly bolstering Nigeria’s economic prospects.
The Dangote Refinery meets stringent global standards and complies with World Bank, US EPA, European emission norms, and Nigeria’s Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) emission/effluent norms.
The refinery is the epitome of state-of-the-art technology and environmental responsibility.
The project also includes a 435 MW power plant that can satisfy the total power requirements of Ibadan DisCo, covering five states including Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Kwara, and Ekiti.
The refinery’s on-site temporary housing units can accommodate approximately 40,000 personnel, underscoring the project’s immense scale.
Dangote emphasized the refinery’s commitment to fostering local talent. “We’ve trained 900 young engineers in refinery operations outside the country,” he revealed.
Additionally, six mechanical engineers received training at the GE University in Italy and 50 process engineers underwent a six-month training program with Honeywell/UOP.
Economists predict the Dangote Refinery, a legacy project, will lead to an injection of approximately 21 billion dollars per annum into Nigeria’s economy.
It is designed to process a diverse range of crudes, including many African Crudes, some Middle Eastern Crudes, and US Light Tight Oil.
“This isn’t just a refinery; it’s a symbol of Nigeria’s potential,” Dangote concluded. “We are beginning a new chapter, not just for our nation but for the whole of Africa.”
