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Nigeria’s Dangote Refinery, which has a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, is expected to start producing gasoline in mid-September, according to reports by IIR Energy.
This marks a significant milestone for the KSh2.6 trillion ($20 billion) refinery, owned by Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man.
The refinery, located on the outskirts of Lagos, is currently undergoing test runs as it prepares to commence gasoline production. It officially began operations in January 2024 after years of delays, initially producing diesel and other distillates.
The original plan was to start gasoline production by May, but this timeline was pushed to July, and now the latest estimate points to mid-September.
Once fully operational, the Dangote Refinery is expected to drastically reduce Nigeria’s heavy reliance on imported refined products. This could also have a significant impact on the Europe-to-Africa fuel trade, potentially disrupting existing supply chains.
However, despite the optimism surrounding the September timeline, IIR Energy has cautioned that further delays are still possible, indicating the challenges that large-scale projects like this often face.
The Dangote Refinery is one of the largest of its kind in Africa, and its successful operation is seen as a key development for Nigeria’s economy, potentially boosting local fuel production and reducing foreign exchange outflows related to fuel imports. The refinery’s journey has been closely watched, not just in Nigeria, but across the continent, as it represents a major step towards self-sufficiency in fuel production for Africa’s most populous nation.
