By Ononye VC
Africa’s largest industrial project is set to scale further, with Aliko Dangote announcing plans to expand the Dangote Refinery to a production capacity of 1.4 million barrels per day, a move expected to create up to 95,000 skilled jobs at peak construction.
Billionaire Aliko Dangote, chief executive officer of Dangote Group, said after signing a factory construction contract with Sinoma International Engineering Co. Ltd.
Once completed, the facility could surpass India’s Jamnagar Refinery as the world’s largest.
The expansion is positioned as a major boost to Nigeria’s fuel security and industrial growth.
Dangote made the disclosure in Lagos during his induction as an Honorary Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering, framing the expansion as a significant step in Nigeria’s industrialisation drive.
“This award is particularly meaningful because it recognises what we are doing in the industry,” he said, adding that the project would employ “about 95,000 skilled workers on site” at its peak.
Dangote said the expansion would rely heavily on local expertise, creating opportunities for engineers, technicians, and artisans, while also driving technology transfer and supporting the broader oil and gas value chain.
“The scale of this expansion reflects our confidence in Nigerian capacity and our belief that Africa can build world-class infrastructure,” he said.
Call for deeper Dangote investments
Industry observers note that the refinery has already been positioned as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s efforts to become a net exporter of refined petroleum products, with potential spillover effects across manufacturing and logistics.
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