The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has reached its full nameplate capacity of 650,000 barrels per day following the restoration and optimisation of its Crude Distillation Unit and Motor Spirit production block.
The company described the development as a global first for a single-train refinery of its scale.
In a statement on Wednesday, the firm said the milestone marks a critical phase in the ramp-up of Africa’s largest oil refining facility. It added that the refinery has commenced a 72-hour intensive performance test run in collaboration with its licensor, UOP, to validate operational stability, efficiency, and compliance with global standards.
According to the refinery, the achievement followed a scheduled maintenance exercise on the Crude Distillation Unit and Motor Spirit Block, after which both units were fully stabilised and optimised for steady-state operations.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Petroleum Refinery, David Bird, said the seamless integration of the units reflects the plant’s engineering strength and operational resilience.
“Our teams have demonstrated exceptional precision and expertise in stabilising both the CDU and MS Block, and we are pleased to see them functioning at optimal efficiency,” Bird said.
“This performance testing phase enables us to validate the entire plant under real operating conditions. We are confident that the refinery remains firmly on track to deliver consistent, world-class output.
“This milestone underscores the strength, reliability, and engineering quality that define our operations. We remain committed to producing high-quality refined products that will transform Nigeria’s energy landscape, eliminate import dependence, and position the nation as a net exporter of petroleum products,” he added.
Bird explained that the Crude Distillation Unit serves as the primary processing unit in a refinery, separating crude oil into various fractions. He said the MS Block—comprising the naphtha hydrotreater, isomerisation unit, and reformer unit—upgrades intermediate streams into high-octane petrol blend components.
He disclosed that all three components of the MS Block are now operating steadily at the full 650,000bpd capacity, stabilising petrol production output.
According to him, the remaining processing units across the refinery will commence their own performance test runs under Phase 2 next week, marking the final stages of technical validation across the integrated complex.
Beyond the engineering milestone, the refinery highlighted its growing contribution to domestic fuel supply. It said that during the recent festive period, it supplied between 45 million and 50 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit daily to the Nigerian market.
With the CDU and MS Block fully restored and optimised, the company stated that it is positioned to deliver up to 75 million litres of PMS daily as required. It noted that this volume could significantly reshape domestic supply dynamics and reduce pressure on imports.
The announcement comes amid ongoing national efforts to strengthen energy security, conserve foreign exchange, and end Nigeria’s dependence on imported refined petroleum products despite being a major crude oil producer.
The company expressed appreciation to customers and Nigerians, reiterating its commitment to supporting industrial development, job creation, and economic diversification.
The Dangote refinery has also disclosed plans to double its capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day within the next three years.
