President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting the planned expansion of the Dangote Refinery from 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 1.4 million bpd.

Tinubu, represented by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, made the pledge on Monday at the 19th edition of the OTL Africa Downstream Conference and Exhibition in Lagos.

He described the project as a game-changer for Nigeria, West Africa, and the global energy market, noting that the expansion would boost Nigeria’s self-sufficiency in refined products and strengthen energy supply across Africa.

When completed, the upgrade will make the Dangote Refinery the largest in the world, surpassing the Jamnagar Refinery in India.

Speaking at a separate press conference in Lagos on Sunday, President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, said the expansion reflects confidence in Nigeria’s economic future and aligns with President Tinubu’s vision of positioning the country as a global supplier of refined petroleum products.

“We are more than doubling our capacity—from 650,000 to 1.4 million barrels per day,” Dangote said. “This will make it the largest refinery in the world, surpassing India’s Jamnagar Refinery. This expansion is about confidence in Nigeria, in Africa, and in our capacity to shape our own energy future.”

President Tinubu reiterated that his government would fully support private investments that promote value addition and energy security, stressing that such initiatives align with his administration’s vision to build a competitive downstream petroleum sector under a deregulated market.

“Africa has enough markets. In 2024, data shows that the continent imported $120 billion worth of hydrocarbon products,” Lokpobiri said on behalf of the President. “That means there is demand, but because of our limited financial capacity and distribution networks, most of that value leaves Africa. For Nigeria, our goal is to reclaim a fair share of that market.”