Nigeria’s Dangote Petroleum Refinery has confirmed that its crude distillation unit (CDU) and motor spirit (petrol) production block are operating at full nameplate capacity during performance tests, marking a key milestone for Africa’s largest refinery. The refinery reported that the units ran at their 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) capacity over a 72‑hour performance test in collaboration with technology licensor Honeywell UOP, according to Reuters.
The tests aim to validate operational efficiency and confirm that all key parameters meet international standards. Dangote Refinery noted that the MS block, comprising the naphtha hydrotreater, isomerisation unit, and reformer, ran steadily alongside the CDU, while remaining processing units are scheduled for testing in the next phase.
With these units optimised, the refinery is positioned to supply up to 75 million litres of petrol daily to Nigeria’s domestic market, significantly higher than the 45–50 million litres per day delivered during the recent festive period. Analysts view this as a critical step in reducing Nigeria’s reliance on imported refined products.
The $20 billion Dangote Refinery continues to progress toward sustained full-capacity operations, reinforcing Nigeria’s ambitions to become a regional refining hub and strengthening energy security across West Africa, CNBC Africa reported.
