Crystal Dike
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has selected US-based Honeywell International Inc. as its strategic partner for an ambitious expansion that will double its processing capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2028, positioning it to become the world’s largest single-location refining complex.
The announcement, contained in a statement issued on Tuesday, comes one month after the refinery unveiled its multi-year expansion programme.
According to the statement signed by management, Honeywell will supply catalysts, specialist equipment, and advanced technology solutions that will allow the refinery to process a wider slate of crude grades and significantly boost operational efficiency.
“Dangote Group is pleased to announce that it has entered a strategic partnership with Honeywell International Inc. to support the next phase of expansion of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery,” the statement read. “This collaboration will provide advanced technology and services that will enable the refinery to increase its processing capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day by 2028, marking a major milestone in our long-term vision to build the world’s largest petroleum refining complex.”
As part of the agreement, Dangote will deploy Honeywell UOP’s Oleflex technology to expand its polypropylene output to 2.4 million metric tonnes per year. Industry sources told Reuters that the deal could exceed $250 million, depending on the final project configuration.
Honeywell UOP has worked with Dangote since 2017, supplying proprietary refining systems, catalyst regeneration equipment and other key technologies.
The group also confirmed progress on the next phase of its fertiliser expansion, which will raise urea production from 3 million metric tonnes to 9 million metric tonnes annually. The existing facility has two trains of 1.5 million metric tonnes each; the expansion will add four additional trains.
Nigeria, Africa’s top crude producer, has long relied on imported refined products due to the failure of its state-owned refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna, despite years of costly turnaround maintenance.
The $20bn Dangote Refinery, located in the Lekki Free Zone, was built to reverse this dependence. With its current 650,000 bpd nameplate capacity—the largest single-train refinery in the world—the plant is designed to meet all of Nigeria’s petrol, diesel, aviation fuel and LPG needs, and export surplus.
Last month, Chairman Aliko Dangote announced plans to add a second processing train that will lift total capacity to 1.4 million bpd, enabling the refinery to absorb nearly all of Nigeria’s present crude output of about 1.5 million bpd.
“Our expansion vision is simple: position Nigeria as a global refining powerhouse,” Dangote said.
The partnership comes as Honeywell restructures and prepares to spin off its aerospace division. The deal aligns with Honeywell’s strategy to deepen its presence in high-growth energy and petrochemical markets.
Dangote Group said the collaboration underscores its commitment to building world-class industrial capacity, enhancing Nigeria’s energy security and driving sustainable economic growth through long-term investment and strategic global partnerships.