Premium News
Dangote, Africa’s largest oil refinery has achieved a significant operational breakthrough as its Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) and Motor Spirit (MS) production block now operate at full nameplate capacity of 650,000 barrels per day—a first for any refinery worldwide.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery announced the milestone following the successful completion of scheduled maintenance and optimization work on both critical units. The facility has now launched a 72-hour performance testing phase in partnership with technology licensor UOP to validate operational efficiency and ensure all parameters meet international standards.
Chief Executive Officer David Bird highlighted the achievement as evidence of the refinery’s engineering excellence and operational strength. “Our teams have shown remarkable precision in bringing the CDU and MS Block to optimal efficiency,” Bird said. “This testing phase allows us to validate the entire plant under actual operating conditions, and we’re confident in our ability to deliver consistent, world-class output.”
The CDU and MS Block—which include the naphtha hydrotreater, isomerization unit, and reformer unit—are now running steadily at maximum capacity. Bird confirmed that remaining processing units will enter their performance test runs during Phase 2, set to begin next week.
The refinery’s enhanced capacity positions it to supply up to 75 million liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) daily to Nigeria’s domestic market, a substantial increase from the 45-50 million liters delivered during the recent holiday period.
Bird expressed gratitude to customers and the Nigerian public, reaffirming the refinery’s dedication to strengthening the nation’s energy security, eliminating petroleum product imports, and establishing Nigeria as a net exporter while driving industrial growth and economic transformation.
