Dangote Group has announced plans to increase its petroleum refinery capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day and raise its annual fertiliser production to 12 million metric tonnes by 2030.
The Group Executive Director, Commercial Operations, Fatima Aliko-Dangote, disclosed this on Wednesday during the Dangote Group Special Day at the 2026 Lagos International Trade Fair.
She said the expansion was part of the conglomerate’s Vision 2030 strategy, aimed at boosting local manufacturing, reducing dependence on imports and strengthening Africa’s position in global trade.
Aliko-Dangote also revealed that the group was expanding its polypropylene production to meet growing demand from the packaging, textile, automobile, medical and construction sectors.
She explained that the company’s decision to move from trading to manufacturing was informed by the need to build a productive economy through local industrial development.
According to her, manufacturing remains critical to job creation, skills development and the conversion of raw materials into higher-value products.
She disclosed that Dangote Cement currently has an installed production capacity of 55 million tonnes annually across Africa, while its refinery, fertiliser plants and other industrial investments continue to support the continent’s economic development.
The executive director said the group’s industrial expansion was not limited to Nigeria, citing ongoing investments in other African countries.
Among the projects, she listed a major refinery in Lamu, Kenya; an integrated fertiliser and industrial complex in Ethiopia; and a refined petroleum products corridor linking Djibouti and Ethiopia.
She said the investments were intended to improve regional supply chains, strengthen food and energy security, generate employment and encourage trade among African countries.
Aliko-Dangote further disclosed that the group was committing about $140 million to a tank farm and regional pipeline project in Namibia.
The project, situated on about 70 hectares of land near Walvis Bay, is expected to provide 240 million litres of storage capacity for petrol and diesel.
She said the facility would position Walvis Bay as an important regional energy distribution hub, with plans for an inland pipeline and distribution network connecting Namibia to Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
She added that Vision 2030 was designed to consolidate existing operations, expand industrial capacity and deepen cross-border investments across the continent.
“For too long, our continent has exported raw materials and imported finished goods.
“Vision 2030 seeks to reverse that pattern by ensuring that more African resources are processed in Africa, by Africans, for the benefit of Africans,” she said.
She also noted that the Dangote Refinery was creating opportunities for Nigerian contractors, engineers, technicians and other service providers, while encouraging technology transfer, skills acquisition and the development of local supply chains.
Meanwhile, the President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Leye Kupoluyi, said Nigeria needed more investments in production and domestic value addition to achieve sustainable economic growth.
Kupoluyi commended the Dangote Group for demonstrating how indigenous investments could reduce import dependence and improve the country’s industrial capacity.
He identified the group’s cement, fertiliser and consumer goods businesses, alongside its 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery, as major contributions to Nigeria’s industrial development.
He said increased domestic refining had improved the country’s external trade position by reducing its reliance on imported petroleum products.
According to him, the group’s investments also provide business opportunities for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, distributors and other operators within its supply chains.
However, Kupoluyi called on the Federal Government to address persistent challenges affecting businesses, particularly inadequate electricity supply, transportation and logistics difficulties, as well as inconsistent fiscal policies.
“To replicate the Dangote group model across other sectors, government must urgently address structural bottlenecks, specifically reliable power, transport logistics and predictable fiscal policies,” he said.
He reaffirmed the LCCI’s commitment to supporting private enterprise, promoting business-friendly policies and creating opportunities for companies through initiatives such as the Lagos International Trade Fair.
The 40th edition of the trade fair is themed, “Connecting Businesses, Creating Value”.