FG Pledges Full Support for Dangote Refinery’s 1.4m Barrels-per-Day Expansion — Lokpobiri

The Federal Government has pledged its full support to the Dangote Refinery as it works toward achieving a production capacity of 1.4 million barrels of refined products per day, according to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri.

Lokpobiri made the statement on Monday in Lagos during his address at the 19th Africa Downstream Energy Week, themed “Energy Sustainability: Growth Beyond Boundaries and Competition.”

“I received the good news that the Dangote Refinery is expanding its capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day.
That will not just save Nigeria or West Africa; it will save Africa and make a global impact.
The Federal Government will support him all the way to accomplishing that goal,”
— Lokpobiri said.

The minister described the refinery’s expansion as a landmark achievement for Africa’s energy independence, adding that it aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He said the removal of fuel subsidy and liberalisation of the downstream petroleum sector were critical policy reforms aimed at attracting private investment and ensuring long-term sectoral growth.

“The downstream can only thrive when the right business environment allows private capital to flow in. Deregulation has created healthy competition, stable prices, and better product availability,”
he explained.

Lokpobiri noted that without subsidy removal, Nigeria’s energy sector would have been in deep crisis today. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding oil and gas investments, stating that global energy transition efforts must be balanced with the continued relevance of hydrocarbons.

“Energy transition cannot happen in a vacuum. The world still depends on oil and gas, and without investments in these sectors, we cannot finance cleaner energy,”
he added.

Citing UN data, Lokpobiri stressed the need for $540 billion in annual global investments in oil and gas to meet rising demand and ensure energy security.

He argued that Africa’s growing population of over 1.4 billion makes investment in exploration, production, and refining indispensable for economic stability and self-sufficiency.

The minister lauded President Tinubu’s bold energy reforms, describing them as tough but necessary decisions that have stabilised the market and encouraged investor confidence.

Also speaking, Mr. Adetunji Oyebanji, Chairman of the OTL Africa Downstream Energy Week Advisory Board, urged for stronger policy consistency, collaboration, and innovation to sustain growth in Africa’s energy sector.

“Energy sustainability is not just about preserving resources — it’s about ensuring today’s growth doesn’t compromise tomorrow’s prosperity.
Africa must move from being a raw hydrocarbon supplier to becoming a hub for innovation and value addition,”
he said.

Oyebanji highlighted Nigeria’s central role in Africa’s energy transformation, noting that deregulation, gas commercialisation, and infrastructure expansion have laid the foundation for long-term growth.

He concluded by calling for regulatory stability and industry cooperation, stressing that:

“Our capacity to grow beyond boundaries depends not only on how hard we compete but on how well we cooperate.”

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