The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has attained its full nameplate capacity of 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) following the restoration and optimisation of its Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) and Motor Spirit (MS) production block.
In a statement on Wednesday, the company described the feat as a landmark achievement, noting that it marks a global first for a single-train refinery of its scale. It said the facility has commenced a 72-hour intensive performance test run in collaboration with its licensor, UOP, to validate operational stability, efficiency and compliance with international standards.
The refinery explained that the milestone followed a scheduled maintenance exercise on the CDU and MS Block, after which both units were fully stabilised and optimised for steady-state operations.
Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Petroleum Refinery, David Bird, said the seamless integration of the units reflects the plant’s engineering depth and operational resilience.
“Our teams have demonstrated exceptional precision and expertise in stabilising both the CDU and MS Block, and we are pleased to see them functioning at optimal efficiency. This performance testing phase enables us to validate the entire plant under real operating conditions. We are confident that the refinery remains firmly on track to deliver consistent, world-class output,” Bird said.
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He added that the achievement reinforces the refinery’s commitment to delivering high-quality refined products capable of transforming Nigeria’s energy landscape, reducing import dependence and positioning the country as a net exporter of petroleum products.
Bird explained that the CDU serves as the primary processing unit in a refinery, separating crude oil into various fractions, while the MS Block—comprising the naphtha hydrotreater, isomerisation unit and reformer—upgrades intermediate streams into high-octane petrol blend components.
According to him, all three components of the MS Block are now operating steadily at the full 650,000 bpd capacity, effectively stabilising petrol production output.
He disclosed that the remaining processing units across the refinery will begin their performance test runs under Phase Two next week, signalling the final stage of technical validation across the integrated complex.
Beyond the engineering milestone, the refinery highlighted its growing role in domestic fuel supply, stating that during the recent festive period it delivered between 45 million and 50 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) daily to the Nigerian market.
With the CDU and MS Block fully restored and optimised, the company said it is positioned to supply up to 75 million litres of PMS per day as required, a volume that could significantly ease domestic supply constraints and reduce pressure on imports.
The development comes amid sustained national focus on energy security, foreign exchange conservation and efforts to end Nigeria’s long-standing reliance on imported refined petroleum products despite its status as a major crude oil producer.
The company expressed appreciation to its customers and Nigerians, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening energy security, supporting industrial growth, creating jobs and driving economic diversification.
The Dangote refinery has also outlined plans to expand its capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day within the next three years.
