The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals, Mr. David Bird, has described the facility as a European and Asian merchant refinery model operating in Nigeria and designed to rank among the world’s largest and most advanced refineries.
Speaking during a media parley and facility tour of the refinery complex located at the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Bird said the refinery differs significantly from traditional Nigerian refineries due to its hybrid automation infrastructure and adherence to international best-practice standards.
He noted that the plant features a state-of-the-art refining and blending configuration designed to supply modern-quality fuels while setting new benchmarks for cleaner petroleum products across Africa in both the short and long term.
According to him, West Africa has historically been a destination for inferior petroleum products, but the refinery’s operations would reset quality standards in the distribution and supply of refined products on the continent and beyond.
Bird added that the refinery prioritises meeting domestic fuel demand to eliminate queues while also serving export markets through diversified crude sourcing to ensure uninterrupted operations.
He stressed that products from the facility comply with global environmental and health standards, dismissing rumours about the quality of its fuel supply.
“Dangote Refinery is not like any other. It is a hybrid of United States, European and Asian merchant refinery models in Nigeria,” he said, noting that about 65 per cent of its crude input comes from Nigeria while 35 per cent is sourced internationally.
He said the refinery produces multiple intermediate and finished products including diesel, kerosene, Jet A1, gas and other downstream derivatives.
Bird further revealed that the refinery and its fertiliser subsidiary generate about 500 megawatts of internal energy using steam and gas turbines,
while the company plans expansion under its Vision 2030 strategy, including enlarging its port facility to handle increased shipments of raw materials and exports.
Also speaking, the Group Branding and Communications Manager, Dangote Group, Tony Chiejina, said fuel scarcity had historically been a recurring issue during festive periods but expressed confidence that consistent supply from the refinery would address the challenge.
He urged stakeholders and Nigerians to support the company’s efforts to strengthen the nation’s downstream oil and gas sector.
