Nigeria: The Dangote refinery produces 57 million litres of petrol a day, covering the country's needs

The Dangote Group has taken a major step forward in the African energy sector with the announcement that its refinery in Nigeria's Ibeju Lekki Free Zone is now producing 57 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) per day. According to Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), this capacity meets 100% of Nigeria's domestic demand for refined petroleum products, while paving the way for pan-African ambitions.

During a recent visit to the complex by a Zambian delegation led by Energy Minister Makozo Chikote, Aliko Dangote revealed that the refinery currently has "more than half a billion litres" of petroleum products in stock, worth more than N600 billion. "We produce enough petrol, diesel and paraffin to cover Nigeria's entire needs," he said, underlining the strategic importance of the project. With a capacity of 650,000 barrels a day, this single-train refinery, the largest in the world, is a key player not only for Nigeria, but for the continent as a whole.

Beyond Nigeria's borders, Aliko Dangote insisted on the refinery's wider objective: to support the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement. "This refinery is not just for Nigeria, it's for Africa. We want to encourage trade between African countries", he said. This statement resonated with the Zambian delegation, which explored the facilities, including the Dangote jetty, Africa's largest fertiliser plant and the oil infrastructure.

Zambia's Minister of Energy, Makozo Chikote, praised Dangote's visionary approach. "What we have seen here shows a real concern for the global situation in Africa," he said. Accompanied by energy experts, Chikote expressed his enthusiasm for a partnership with Dangote Industries, seeing it as an immediate solution to Zambia's energy challenges. "Your presentation meets our needs. We want efficient, reliable and competitive products, and we want this to happen quickly," he added.

The visit also served to highlight the refinery's economic and commercial prospects. Edwin Devakumar, Vice President Oil & Gas at Dangote Industries, detailed the production strategy: "We produce 104 million litres of refined products a day, including 57 million litres of petrol, 20 million litres of paraffin and 27 million litres of diesel. Around 46 million litres are for local consumption, with the rest for export. He says the refinery is designed to process various types of African and Middle Eastern crude, while maximising the added value of each barrel.

For Zambia, which depends entirely on the private sector for its oil production, the visit reinforced the idea of collaboration with giants such as Dangote. "We are looking to promote competition between our private players and to take advantage of such initiatives to improve the lives of our citizens", explained Chikote.

Another member of the delegation, Samuel Maimbo, Vice-President of the World Bank Group and candidate for the presidency of the African Development Bank (AfDB), stressed the crucial role of the private sector in the continent's development. "Public funds and international aid are not enough. Only collaboration with players like Dangote can finance Africa's growth on the scale needed", he said.

This vision echoes the ambitions of Dangote Industries, which relies on high-quality products to stand out in the market. "Our strategy is to produce the best possible products while making the most of African resources," says Edwin Devakumar.

The Dangote refinery is a symbol of energy and economic autonomy for Africa. By meeting local needs while targeting exports, it illustrates a new dynamic in which intra-African trade could reduce dependence on foreign imports. As Makozo Chikote summed up: "We need to promote trade in Africa to make the continent a reliable and efficient hub. Dangote is showing us the way.

With this breakthrough, the Dangote Group is not just revolutionising the Nigerian oil sector; it is laying the foundations for a wider transformation, in which Africa can finally exploit its resources to the full for its own development.