Dangote Refinery | Source: Famous People Magazine (May 2023)

Market Insights | ppPLUS Intelligence Series • Refining & Petrochemicals | July 2026

Dangote Industries has launched an aggressive, multi‑phase program to expand its Lekki refinery and petrochemicals complex from a 650,000 barrels‑per‑day (bpd) single train to a 1.4 million bpd multi‑train facility by around 2028, positioning it among the world’s largest refining hubs.

Partnership with Honeywell

Honeywell has been selected to supply advanced process technology, proprietary catalysts, automation systems, and related equipment to enable the refinery to process a wider slate of crude grades and support the planned capacity uplift. The agreement includes licensing of Honeywell’s Oleflex technology to convert propane into propylene, underpinning a major expansion in polypropylene and other petrochemical outputs.

Capacity Targets and Timeline

Dangote’s expansion roadmap raises nameplate capacity in stages: a near‑term upgrade from 650,000 to about 700,000 bpd by late 2025 through unit modifications, followed by construction of a second single‑train unit that lifts total capacity to roughly 1.4 million bpd within three years, with full optimisation targeted by 2028. At 1.4 million bpd, the complex would be able to process nearly all of Nigeria’s current crude output and surpass existing global refining giants on single‑site capacity metrics.

Petrochemicals Expansion

Alongside fuels, Dangote plans to scale petrochemical production sharply, aiming to increase total polypropylene output to about 2.4 million tonnes per year and add capacity for key chemical intermediates such as linear alkylbenzene (LAB) used in detergents. These projects are designed to deepen import substitution in plastics and specialty chemicals, broadening the refinery’s revenue mix beyond transportation fuels.

Strategic Impact

The capacity expansion is framed by Dangote as a cornerstone of Africa’s push toward energy independence, with the larger complex expected to cut fuel imports, boost regional exports of clean products, and generate higher foreign‑exchange earnings for Nigeria. Analysts highlight that the scale‑up, combined with supportive domestic fuel import tariffs, could reshape West African product flows and consolidate Dangote’s role as a price‑setting anchor in regional refined product markets.

Note: This article draws on publicly available reporting and corporate communications about Dangote’s expansion program, including coverage from major international news agencies, specialist energy and petrochemical outlets, and technology partner press releases, notably the Honeywell announcement on its role in upgrading Africa’s largest refinery.