Africa’s richest man and businessman Aliko Dangote has said Dangote Petroleum Refinery now has adequate petrol to cover Nigeria’s demand.
Over the weekend, Zambian Energy Minister, Makozo Chikote visited the refinery and Dangote disclosed the refinery has over 500 million litres of refined petroleum products. This is valued at ₦600 billion (about $1.3 billion) and includes gasoline, diesel and kerosene.
According to Dangote, the refinery now meets 100% of Nigeria’s domestic fuel consumption. He said this aligns with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) which wants to unite 54 countries into one market.
By prioritising intra-African trade, the refinery aims to reduce dependence on imported fuels and encourage economic cooperation across the continent.
During the tour, Minister Chikote said Zambia wants to replicate Nigeria’s privatisation success. He noted that Zambia’s petroleum sector is entirely private and he visited the refinery’s 650,000-barrel-per-day capacity – world’s largest single-train refinery – and the fertiliser plant that boosts agricultural productivity.
Chikote commended Dangote’s vision, saying “Promoting private sector involvement, as seen here, ensures reliable and competitive energy solutions. We want to adopt same in Zambia.”
He said they need to adopt Dangote’s model to address energy deficit and drive sectoral growth in mining and agriculture.
The visit proved the refinery’s role in African industrialisation.
Dangote said their focus is continental, saying “Our goal goes beyond Nigeria. We’re supporting AfCFTA by enabling trade across African borders.”
This is in line with African Union’s target to increase intra-African trade from 18% to 50% by 2030.
Chikote said the refinery’s size can be a template to reduce dependence on foreign imports.
“Learning from Dangote’s model can make Africa stand on its own without foreign trade support,” he said.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery is a game changer for Nigeria and Africa. With large storage capacity and continental focus, it shows how private sector can ensure energy security and economic integration.
As countries like Zambia seek partnerships, the refinery’s impact may soon go beyond fuel production and kickstart African industrialisation.