Dangote refinery expands output, sources UAE crude amid Nigeria feedstock shortages

Aliko Dangote’s Dangote Petroleum Refinery, the world’s largest single‑train complex, is now fully operational after a $20 billion build‑out. The plant’s profitability has surged as higher oil prices tied to the Iran‑Israel conflict lift product margins, pushing Dangote’s personal fortune to an estimated $30.4 billion.

Facing persistent shortages of Nigerian crude caused by theft, pipeline vandalism and export‑terminal bottlenecks, the refinery has diversified its feedstock. For the first time it purchased two cargoes of crude from the United Arab Emirates, adding to its existing imports from Nigeria, the United States, Angola, Libya, Ghana and Guyana. The UAE crude, heavier than Nigeria’s light sweet oil, is intended to improve blend flexibility and support the refinery’s plan to double capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day by 2028.

The expansion underlines the refinery’s role as a major fuel exporter – it already leads global aviation‑kerosene exports – and signals a shift toward a more global sourcing model as Nigeria struggles to consistently supply its flagship plant.