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

Dangote’s Next Move Could Create the World’s Largest Refinery By Natalia Katona - Jul 08, 2026, 6:00 PM CDT Nigeria’s Dangote refinery ran at a record 660,000 b/d in May-June, helping slash West Africa’s extra-regional clean-product imports by almost 25% year-on-year and displacing Gulf and US barrels in Europe. Low production costs and a more balanced crude slate are turning Dangote into a durable exporter of jet fuel and diesel, even as European refining margins retreat from crisis highs. The proposed expansion to 1.45 million b/d could anchor an Africa-wide fuel network, but its commercial payoff hinges on solving the continent’s chronic storage, logistics and security bottlenecks.