February 12, (THEWILL) — The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has recorded a historic global first, becoming the only refinery worldwide to attain and sustain full nameplate capacity of 650,000 barrels per day on its Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) and Motor Spirit (MS) production block, positioning the facility to supply up to 75 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) daily to the domestic market.
The refinery disclosed on Wednesday that both units are now operating at optimal performance following the successful completion of a scheduled maintenance exercise, describing the achievement as a landmark in global refining operations.
As part of the post-maintenance process, the facility has commenced an intensive 72-hour performance test run in collaboration with its licensor, UOP, aimed at validating operational efficiency and ensuring that all critical parameters meet international standards.
Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Refinery, David Bird, said the milestone reflects the strength of the refinery’s engineering design and robust operational capacity.
“Our teams have demonstrated exceptional precision and expertise in stabilising both the CDU and MS Block. This milestone underscores the strength, reliability and engineering quality that define our operations. We remain committed to producing high-quality refined products that will transform Nigeria’s energy landscape”, he said.
Bird confirmed that the CDU and MS Block, comprising the naphtha hydrotreater, isomerisation unit and reformer unit are now operating steadily at their full nameplate capacity of 650,000 barrels per day. He added that other processing units across the refinery would commence their respective performance test runs in Phase 2, scheduled to begin next week.
The development further strengthens steady-state operations at Africa’s largest oil refining facility and significantly enhances its capacity to meet Nigeria’s domestic fuel needs. According to the refinery, it supplied between 45 and 50 million litres of PMS daily during the recent festive period.
With the full restoration and optimisation of the CDU and MS Block, the refinery is now positioned to comfortably deliver up to 75 million litres of PMS daily, as demand requires.
Reaffirming the refinery’s broader objectives, Bird said the achievement aligns with its commitment to eliminating Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products, enhancing national energy security and positioning the country as a net exporter of refined fuels.
He expressed appreciation to customers and Nigerians nationwide, reiterating Dangote Refinery’s role in supporting industrial development, job creation and economic diversification.
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