Alike Dangote at Doha Forum 2025
Dangote: Big ambitions, harsh realities
Nigeria's mega-refinery is still trying to solve many challenges, all while its owner talks up expansion
The adage about learning to walk before you run rings true for Africa's largest refinery. Since its commercial startup in 2024, Nigeria’s Dangote facility has faced numerous challenges and has yet to operate at full capacity. The 650,000b/d refinery, recognised as Africa’s largest and the world’s largest single-train facility, has experienced recurring design-related malfunctions in its residual fluid catalytic cracker (RFCC) since April 2025. Other issues include sourcing crude oil from state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Despite these problems, Aliko Dangote, Africa’s wealthiest individual, has announced plans for a refinery expansion that, in its initial phase, wou
Also in this section
6 March 2026
The March 2026 issue of Petroleum Economist is out now!
6 March 2026
After Europe’s rapid buildout of floating LNG import capacity, Exmar CEO Carl-Antoine Saverys says future growth in floating gas infrastructure will increasingly be driven by developing markets as lower prices, rising energy demand and the need to replace coal unlock new opportunities for unconventional and tailor-made solutions
5 March 2026
Gas is a central pillar of Colombia’s energy system, but declining production poses a significant challenge, and LNG will be increasingly needed as a stopgap. A recent major offshore gas discovery offers hope, but policy improvements are also required, Camilo Morales, secretary general of Naturgas, the Colombian gas association, tells Petroleum Economist
4 March 2026
The continent’s inventories were already depleted before conflict erupted in the Middle East, causing prices to spike ahead of the crucial summer refilling season
