Africa’s richest industrialist, Aliko Dangote, has announced major port infrastructure upgrades at the Dangote Refinery following a visit from the leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). The developments are part of a strategic push to boost export capacity and establish Nigeria as a regional energy logistics hub.
The detailed technical briefing, held at the refinery’s harbour, was led by Captain Satendra Singh Rana, Head of Port Infrastructure and Marine Operations. He outlined a comprehensive expansion plan centered on the refinery’s adjacent urea fertiliser facility. The plant will be scaled up from three million to nine million tonnes per annum, which Rana stated would make it the world’s largest fertiliser plant.
To support this surge in production, the current truck-based loading system, moving about 30 tonnes per trip, will be replaced by a fully automated conveyor system. This will connect the fertiliser plant directly to the jetty, significantly improving operational efficiency.
The harbour itself is set for substantial enlargement. Plans include constructing four additional tanker jetties to handle diverse products such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), gasoline, gas oil, and aviation fuel. Concurrently, the harbour depth will be increased from approximately nine metres to 14.5 metres. This dredging will allow for the loading of up to 60,000 tonnes per ship for urea exports and accommodate larger vessels, up to 250 metres in length or about 100,000 deadweight tonnes, while still serving smaller ships for domestic distribution.
A key engineering feature of the existing port is its breakwater, constructed from sand—a method Rana described as the world’s only of its kind. He noted the design is more sustainable, faster to build, and cheaper than conventional rock structures, with academic institutions already studying it for future applications.
These infrastructure investments are explicitly designed to advance Nigeria’s ambition to become a major bunkering (ship refuelling) hub in West Africa, a role currently filled by other regional ports.
The briefing, attended by Dangote and NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer Bayo Ojulari, featured engagements on operational capacity and long-term scalability. The visit underscores the ongoing integration and strategic alignment between Nigeria’s largest private industrial project and the state-owned oil company as the Dangote Refinery continues to ramp up its domestic and export operations. The port expansion is a critical enabler for transforming the facility into a pivotal node for global and regional energy trade.
