The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has successfully reached full operating capacity of 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) for its Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) and Motor Spirit (MS) production block, the first refinery in the world to attain this level of performance on these critical units.
The refinery announced the milestone on Thursday, following the completion of an extensive maintenance and optimisation campaign on both the CDU and the MS modules at its Lekki, Lagos complex. The statement said the facility has now commenced a rigorous 72-hour series of performance tests in collaboration with technology licensor UOP, designed to validate the operational efficiency of the units and ensure compliance with global standards.
Speaking on behalf of the plant, Dangote Refinery CEO David Bird emphasised the technical significance of the achievement and the expertise demonstrated by the refinery’s workforce.
“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,” Bird said. “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 added that reaching this milestone not only highlights the “strength, reliability, and engineering quality” underpinning the refinery’s operations but also sets the stage for broader contributions to Nigeria’s energy landscape. He reaffirmed the company’s commitment to producing refined products that confront decades-long fuel import dependency and help transform the nation into a net exporter of petroleum products.
The CDU and MS Block, which include core processing sections such as the naphtha hydrotreater, isomerisation unit, and reformer, are now operating steadily at their full 650,000 bpd nameplate capacity, the company confirmed. Work is now underway in a Phase 2 rollout, under which the remaining processing units will begin their respective performance test runs next week.
During the recent festive season, the refinery said it consistently supplied between 45 million to 50 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) daily, a significant contribution to national petrol availability. With the CDU and MS units now fully restored and optimised, the refinery is positioned to increase its daily PMS supply to up to 75 million litres as market conditions demand.
Analysts say the development marks a crucial turning point for Nigeria, a country historically reliant on imported refined fuels despite being a major crude producer. The Dangote Refinery alone accounts for a dominant share of the nation’s refining capacity, far exceeding the combined output of smaller domestic facilities.
Beyond addressing local fuel shortages and stabilising downstream markets, the refinery’s enhanced performance is expected to support industrial growth, job creation, and broader economic diversification, officials said. Bird expressed gratitude to the refinery’s customers and Nigerians nationwide for their continued support, underlining the company’s role in strengthening energy security across the region.
