Nigeria's refinery is set to become the largest on Earth
In short: By 2029, the Dangote Refinery in Nigeria is projected to surpass the world's current largest refinery in capacity. This massive industrial feat involves a complexity index that exceeds most facilities in the United States and Europe, turning a local infrastructure project into a global energy powerhouse.
The Dangote Refinery, located in the Lekki Free Trade Zone, is currently the world's largest single-train refinery. It officially began operations in January 2024, processing crude oil into diesel, aviation fuel, and Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). While it currently processes about 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day, Aliko Dangote announced an expansion in October 2025 to increase that capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day. If completed by 2029, this expansion will make it the largest refinery in the world by capacity, surpassing the current leader, the Jamnagar Refinery in India, which has an aggregate capacity of 1.24 million barrels per day.
The refinery's technical sophistication is measured by its Nelson complexity index of 10.5. This indicates a higher level of chemical procedures—such as hydrocracking and polymerization—than the average refinery in the United States (9.5) or Europe (6.5). To achieve this, the site features world-record engineering, including a distillation column 112 meters tall (taller than the Saturn V rocket) and the world's heaviest refinery regenerator, which weighed 3,000 tonnes.
Beyond domestic supply, the refinery is a major geopolitical player. It is capable of meeting 100% of Nigeria's oil needs while maintaining a surplus for export to markets like Ghana, Cameroon, and Togo. After enduring a deficit during 2025, the refinery's first six months of 2026 yielded a $1.82 billion net profit. Seeking capital for expansion, the firm initiated a September 2026 IPO, putting 4.1 billion shares on the market to secure roughly ₦2.15 trillion (US$1.63 billion).
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