Africa’s largest refinery, has ramped up the supply of petrol and urea fertiliser to several African countries grappling with disruptions triggered by escalating tensions involving Iran.
Chairman of the group, Aliko Dangote, disclosed this during a recent tour of the 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Petroleum Refinery situated on the outskirts of Lagos.
Dangote revealed that the refinery has already shipped about 17 cargoes of gasoline to various African markets in recent weeks.
He added that exports of urea fertiliser have also increased as countries seek alternative supply sources following disruptions in global energy and commodity routes.
“What I can do is assure Nigerians — and most of West Africa, Central Africa, and East Africa — that we have the capacity to supply them,” Dangote said, noting that the refinery is leveraging its scale to cushion the impact of global volatility.
The refinery, which produces up to three million metric tonnes of urea annually — much of it traditionally exported to the United States and South America — is now redirecting more shipments to African buyers.
“In the last couple of days, we’ve been looking mostly to African countries, which we were not doing before,” Dangote stated, signalling a strategic pivot aimed at stabilising regional supply chains.
The move comes amid heightened instability in global oil markets following military actions involving the United States and Israel against Iran.
Crude oil prices recently surged to as high as $120 per barrel before easing to around $110, raising concerns about inflationary pressures across fuel-dependent economies.
Energy economist Dr. Kelvin Uche said the refinery’s expanded exports could provide short-term relief for African economies.
“With the Strait of Hormuz under threat, freight and insurance premiums have risen sharply. Having a large-scale refinery within Africa reduces reliance on distant suppliers and limits exposure to shipping risks,” he explained.
Similarly, agricultural policy analyst Amina Diop noted that increased urea supply within Africa could help moderate fertiliser prices during a critical planting season.
“Fertiliser is a major cost driver for farmers. If Dangote can redirect volumes that previously went to the U.S. and South America into African markets, it could soften the inflationary impact on food production,” she said.
Despite operating at full capacity, the Dangote refinery is pursuing aggressive expansion plans to strengthen supply resilience.
