Aliko Dangote refinery to process up to 130 crude grades, boosting output to 1.4 million bpd

Nigeria’s Dangote Refinery is expanding its Lekki complex to handle as many as 130 different crude oil grades, a move that would double the plant’s capacity to around 1.4 million barrels per day. The chief executive, David Bird, said the upgraded “merchant‑refining” model will allow the facility to buy and blend crude from many sources, reducing operating costs to under $2 per barrel and positioning it as a low‑cost global hub comparable to Singapore’s Pulau Bukum refinery.

The expansion is part of a broader strategy to shift Nigeria from exporting raw crude to selling refined products worldwide. Dangote’s company plans an initial public offering that could raise up to $40 billion, giving Nigerians the chance to own shares in the refinery. Analysts cite the project’s scale and flexibility as factors that could make it competitive in international fuel markets despite recent global refinery incidents.