Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, announced plans for a new petrochemical plant within its Nigerian refinery complex that aims to make Africa self-sufficient in a key detergent ingredient. The Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) facility, with a planned annual capacity of 400,000 tonnes, is scheduled for completion within 30 months.
Dangote made the statement on Saturday during a tour of the Lekki-based refinery by Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). He positioned the project as a continental game-changer, noting that the proposed output far exceeds existing African production. “The raw material for detergent will be sufficient for the entire African continent,” Dangote said, contrasting the planned capacity with the combined 150,000 tonnes from plants in Algeria and Egypt.
The LAB plant will manufacture the primary feedstock for surfactants, the active cleaning agents in detergents, rather than finished consumer products. This aligns with the Group’s strategy to expand beyond fuel refining into higher-value petrochemicals and industrial manufacturing. Dangote described the complex as an emerging “industrial hub,” suggesting deeper collaboration with NNPCL is possible.
The project is part of a broader diversification drive by the Dangote conglomerate, which already spans cement, fertiliser, agriculture, and food processing. By producing detergent raw materials locally, the initiative targets a reduction in Africa’s reliance on imports for essential chemical inputs.
Analysts note that if delivered on schedule, the plant could reshape trade flows for petrochemicals in Africa, supporting regional manufacturing and creating a new export pillar for Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. The timeline places its completion in mid-2027, marking a significant expansion of the Dangote Refinery’s original scope.
