Dangote refinery reaches full capacity, set to supply 75 million litres of petrol daily

The Dangote refinery has announced that it is now operating at its full capacity of 650,000 barrels per day (bpd), following the successful restoration and optimisation of its crude distillation unit (CDU) and motor spirit (MS) production block.

In a statement on Wednesday, the refinery said the achievement makes it the “first refinery in the world” to reach this level of output. The full-capacity operation comes after scheduled maintenance on the CDU and residual fluid catalytic cracking (RFCC) units, which began earlier this month.

“Following the maintenance exercise, the refinery has commenced an intensive 72-hour performance test run in collaboration with licensor UOP,” the statement said. “These tests are designed to validate operational efficiency and ensure all critical parameters meet global standards.”

During the recent festive period, the refinery supplied 45–50 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) daily. With the CDU and MS block now fully restored, it is positioned to deliver up to 75 million litres of PMS to the domestic market as required.

David Bird, chief executive officer of Dangote refinery, described the milestone as a demonstration of the plant’s advanced engineering and operational capabilities. “Our teams have shown exceptional precision and expertise in stabilising both the CDU and MS Block. We are pleased to see them functioning at optimal efficiency,” he said.

Bird added that the CDU and MS block – which include the naphtha hydrotreater, isomerisation unit, and reformer unit – are now operating steadily at their full nameplate capacity of 650,000 bpd. Phase 2 of performance testing, covering the remaining processing units, is scheduled to begin next week.

“This milestone underscores the strength, reliability, and engineering quality that define our operations,” Bird said, noting the refinery’s commitment to producing high-quality refined products that will transform Nigeria’s energy landscape, eliminate import dependence, and position the nation as a net exporter of petroleum products.