Dangote Refinery Hits Full 650,000 BPD Capacity, Begins Exporting to Five African Countries
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lagos has achieved its full designed capacity of 650,000 barrels per day (bpd), making it the first refinery globally to reach full nameplate capacity in a single train of that scale.
The milestone, reached in February 2026 after the optimisation of its Crude Distillation Unit and Motor Spirit production block, has transformed Nigeria from a fuel-importing nation to an exporter.
By the Numbers
- 650,000 barrels per day at full capacity
- 45-50 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) daily during peak periods
- 12 export cargoes totalling 456,000 tons shipped in March 2026
- Exports sent to Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Tanzania, Ghana, and Togo
"For decades, Africa exported crude oil and imported refined fuel — paying twice for its own resources," said Aliko Dangote. "That era is over."
Expansion Plans
Dangote Group has signed a $400 million agreement with China's XCMG for equipment to expand total refining capacity to approximately 1.4 million bpd by 2028, more than doubling current output.