ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Aliko Dangote, Africa’s wealthiest individual and owner of the continent’s largest refinery, has announced plans to significantly expand the facility’s capacity. The Dangote Refinery, located in Lagos, Nigeria’s economic hub, will increase its output from 650,000 barrels per day to 1.4 million barrels per day. This ambitious expansion aims to address the rising fuel demands both within Africa and internationally. Dangote emphasized that, upon completion, the refinery will surpass India’s Jamnagar refinery as the largest single-site refinery globally. Nigeria, despite being one of Africa’s leading oil producers, has long relied on imported refined petroleum products due to inefficiencies in its state-run refineries. The Dangote Refinery, which commenced operations in January 2024, has already played a pivotal role in meeting local and international fuel needs. However, Dangote stressed that further expansion is essential to keep pace with growing demands. The $19 billion project, which took nearly a decade to complete, reflects a significant vote of confidence in Nigeria’s and Africa’s energy future. While the expansion is widely praised, details regarding its timeline and financing remain undisclosed, according to Ikemesit Effiong, a partner at Lagos-based SBM Intelligence research firm.