ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-The Dangote Refinery, situated in Nigeria’s commercial hub and recognized as the largest single-train refinery globally, has began production in the early hours of Friday.
The refinery, constructed by Aliko Dangote, commenced operations following the delivery of six million barrels of crude supply late last year, overcoming delays in the megaproject’s startup initially scheduled for June 2023.33
Billed as Africa’s largest of its kind, the 650,000 barrel-per-day Dangote refinery is poised to be a transformative force for Nigeria’s economy, aiming to reduce the country’s reliance on fuel imports.
The initial phase focuses on producing diesel and aviation fuel before progressing to petrol output.
Nigeria, despite being one of Africa’s largest oil producers and the continent’s top economy, heavily depends on imported fuel and diesel due to insufficient refining capacity.
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The Dangote Petroleum Refinery, with an ambitious claim in its statement, declares its capability to meet 100% of Nigeria’s refined product requirements and generate surpluses for export.
The facility, spanning 2,635 hectares at the Lekki Free Zone on the outskirts of Lagos, incurred an estimated cost of $19 billion. In May 2023, the refinery was inaugurated by then-president Muhammadu Buhari, marking a significant development.
As the Dangote refinery marks its production initiation, expectations rise for the Port Harcourt refinery to follow suit, signifying positive strides in Nigeria’s refining sector.