Alike Dangote at Doha Forum 2025
Dangote: Big ambitions, harsh realities
Nigeria's mega-refinery is still trying to solve many challenges, all while its owner talks up expansion
The adage about learning to walk before you run rings true for Africa's largest refinery. Since its commercial startup in 2024, Nigeria’s Dangote facility has faced numerous challenges and has yet to operate at full capacity. The 650,000b/d refinery, recognised as Africa’s largest and the world’s largest single-train facility, has experienced recurring design-related malfunctions in its residual fluid catalytic cracker (RFCC) since April 2025. Other issues include sourcing crude oil from state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Despite these problems, Aliko Dangote, Africa’s wealthiest individual, has announced plans for a refinery expansion that, in its initial phase, wou
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