Dangote’s Next Move Could Create the World’s Largest Refinery

AI Summary

Dangote's Lekki refinery in West Africa has been operating at full capacity, increasing exports to Europe and reshaping regional fuel trade. The group plans to further expand the refinery capacity to 1.45 million barrels per day with an additional crude distillation unit.

Dangote’s 700,000 b/d Lekki refinery has been running at full capacity over the past two months, pushing product exports to Europe to record levels and overtaking traditional suppliers from the Gulf and the US. Its rise has already reshaped the West African fuel trade: imports of clean products from outside the region fell by almost 25% year-on-year in the second quarter. Yet Dangote is treating this only as a starting point. The group plans to add another crude distillation unit (CDU), lift total capacity to 1.45 million b/d and build a…