Group Chief Executive Officer of the Dangote Refinery, Bayo Ojulari, on Saturday, paid a courtesy visit to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, revealing that the plant has exceeded its projected capacity of 650,000 barrels per day.
Ojulari hailed the President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, for his leadership vision and inspiration in building the world’s largest single-train refinery in the country.
Ojulari, who toured the $20 billion facility alongside members of the NNPC board and the executive management team, said Nigerians should be grateful for Dangote’s audacity in embarking on the construction of such a massive facility that has put Nigeria on the global energy map.
The NNPC GCEO said he was thrilled by the data he saw during the tour, which revealed that a test of the refinery showed it had not only reached its full capacity but also overshot it, reaching 661 barrels per day.
“What we saw on the screen today, which excited me, is 661. This plant was supposed to be 650,” Ojulari stated.
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“None of us ever thought it would ever touch even 550. So, seeing it live and the parameters we are seeing are live parameters; they’re not parameters that have been reported or photographs that have been written anywhere. I think every Nigerian should be proud that such an edifice is actually in Nigeria,” he added.
Single-train Configuration Concerns
Addressing concerns about the single train refinery design, Ojulari said that just like many, he was initially worried about the idea of the design, because of operational risks, but visiting the facility and observing the architecture of the plant and the redundancy that has been built into it, his views have changed completely because of the advanced technology that is embedded.
He said: “What you see is that the plant has been built in such a way that, despite being a single train, it has an incredibly high availability. So, the perception of the old designs, the old designs do not enjoy the level of technology that you see here.”
The NNPC boss said the refinery was built with world-class technology. “It is taking advantage of the best of technology, both digital technology, AI technology, as far as advanced electronics and mechanical systems as well. So, it’s an impressive facility.”
He further stated that another thing that excites him about the refinery is the move by Dangote to expand the facility to 1.4 million barrels per day.
The visit marks the first official tour of the refinery by the senior management of the NNPC. The national oil company has a 7.25 per cent equity stake in the Dangote Refinery.
In a post on his X handle, Ojulari said the visit marked a significant step towards strengthening the relationship between NNPC Limited and Dangote Refinery.
While confirming that the NNPC currently holds a 7.25 per cent stake in the refinery, he stated that there is a great opportunity for both companies to expand upstream operations and collaborate in areas such as trading, shipping, and gas supplies in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s visionary leadership and investor-friendly reforms in the oil and gas sector.
He reaffirmed the company’s commitment to deepening cooperation with the refinery in pursuit of ensuring energy security, driving industrial growth, and delivering value to Nigerians.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist, scholar and analyst of socioeconomic issues in Nigeria and Africa. He is skilled in energy reporting, business and economy, and holds a master's degree in mass communication.
