The Dangote Petrochemical Refinery is expected to raise its nameplate capacity to 700,000 barrels per day by December 2025, marking a significant boost to Nigeria’s domestic refining capabilities, according to a new report by Argus Media.

The projected increase of 50,000 barrels per day from its current 650,000bpd capacity is attributed to ongoing operational optimisation and phased expansion efforts at the multi-billion-dollar facility. “Industry sources said this could happen by as early as December,” the report stated.

Confirming the development, Edwin Devakumar, Group Executive Director of Dangote Industries Limited, told Argus that the capacity upgrade was driven by improved crude processing efficiency and higher output since the refinery began operations earlier this year.

“The refinery is expanding from 650,000 barrels per day to 700,000 barrels per day, and this should be completed by the end of 2025,” Devakumar stated.

Once completed, the upgrade is expected to bolster Nigeria’s drive for self-sufficiency in refined petroleum products and significantly cut dependence on imports.

“In most of the departments, our production level has gone far beyond 100 per cent,” Devakumar said. “So, we need to just do a bit of de-bottlenecking to increase the overall production.” The Dangote refinery started operations in early 2024, and after a slow ramp-up, receipts of crude are 644,000 barrels per day to date in July, according to Kpler.

This raises the likelihood that the refinery will surpass its monthly record of 445,000 barrels per day set in June. Notably, gasoline sales from the facility began in September.

“We have already crossed 120 per cent of the nameplate capacity of the mild hydrocracker, 125 per cent of capacity at the RFCC gasoline desulphurisation unit, 106 per cent of capacity at the continuous catalytic regeneration unit, 140 per cent of capacity in the Penex process, and 143 per cent of capacity at the naphtha hydrotreater”, Devakumar said.

The increase in production is expected to enhance domestic supply and support exports to regional and international markets.