The Republic of the Congo's national oil company, Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo (SNPC), has begun discussions with Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals on a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening the Central African country's supply of refined petroleum products while deepening regional energy cooperation and industrial integration across Africa.
The discussions followed a visit by an SNPC delegation to the Dangote Refinery in Lekki, Lagos, where both parties explored opportunities for collaboration in refining, petroleum product supply, energy security, industrial development and technical knowledge transfer.
Leading the Congolese delegation, SNPC Managing Director Maixent Raoul Ominga described the 650,000-barrels-per-day refinery as a landmark industrial project for Africa, saying the Republic of the Congo is keen to establish a long-term relationship that would create value for both organisations.
"We have visited this remarkable refinery, which represents a major industrial achievement for Africa. The Republic of the Congo has refining capacity and we are keen to explore strategic cooperation that will help strengthen the supply of refined petroleum products while creating value for both organisations," Ominga said.
He commended Dangote Industries for demonstrating that African companies can finance, build and operate world-class industrial infrastructure. Ominga also praised the group's investments in the Republic of the Congo, particularly in the cement sector, noting that they have expanded local production capacity and improved access to construction materials.
President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, reaffirmed the company's commitment to driving Africa's industrialisation through investments, regional partnerships and value addition.
"We are for Africa, not just Nigeria. Tell us what you need, and we will see how we can work together," Dangote said.
He added that the refinery has raised the benchmark for fuel quality on the continent by producing petroleum products that meet leading international specifications, helping African countries reduce dependence on imported refined fuels from outside the continent while improving access to cleaner energy.
Group Vice President, Oil and Gas, Devakumar Edwin, outlined the company's long-term expansion strategy, revealing plans to increase Dangote's total refining capacity to 2.1 million barrels per day. The expansion includes raising the Nigerian refinery's capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day and developing a 700,000-barrels-per-day refinery in Kenya to serve East African markets.
Edwin also disclosed that Dangote Industries plans to invest an additional $46 billion between 2026 and 2028 across its refining, fertiliser and cement businesses as part of its broader strategy to accelerate industrial development across Africa.
The engagement signals growing momentum for cross-border energy partnerships as African countries increasingly seek regional solutions to fuel supply challenges. For Dangote Refinery, the proposed collaboration with SNPC further strengthens its ambition to become a leading supplier of refined petroleum products across the continent while supporting the goals of greater energy security, regional value chains and intra-African trade.