The Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals Plant has taken a significant step forward in Nigeria’s oil sector by securing its first crude shipment of one million barrels of Agbami crude grade from Shell International Trading and Shipping. This first cargo will power the plant’s initial processing capacity of 350,000 barrels per day.
After this first delivery, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) will supply the next four cargoes, and ExxonMobil will complete the early supply chain with an additional six shipments. This strategic move represents a major milestone in the refinery’s journey towards full-scale operations.
According to a report by Energy Capital & Power, Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, expressed pride in this accomplishment, saying, “This is an important achievement for our country as it shows our ability to develop and deliver large capital projects. We are focusing on ramping up the refinery to its full capacity in the coming months. I am eagerly anticipating our next major milestone of delivering the first batch of products to the Nigerian market.”
With this crude supply, the refinery will start producing essential fuels, including diesel, aviation fuel, liquefied petroleum gas, and eventually premium motor spirit.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery, valued at $19 billion, is the largest oil refinery in Africa and the biggest single-train refinery in the world. Major construction of this ambitious project began in 2017, marking the start of a new era in the continent’s oil and petrochemical industry.
The commencement of operations at the Dangote Refinery is set to make a significant impact on the Nigerian oil sector. It promises to boost domestic fuel production and strengthen Nigeria’s position in the global oil market.
