The Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals has appointed David Bird, former head of Oman’s Duqm Refinery, as its new Chief Executive Officer. Bird assumed the role in July 2025, overseeing both the fuels and petrochemicals divisions of the company.
His appointment signals a strategic shift as the group seeks to overcome lingering production challenges, scale output, and position itself as a continental powerhouse in refining.
Bird also participated in the Dangote Leadership Development Program Graduation Ceremony, a gesture seen as aligning the company’s leadership with its long-term talent development goals.
Profile: An Experienced Hand at the Helm
Before joining Dangote, Bird served as Shell’s operations lead at the Balau Pokom Refinery and later as CEO of Oman’s OQ8 Duqm refinery, where he oversaw expansion efforts and diversified crude sourcing.
His experience in optimizing operations and pushing for crude flexibility aligns with Dangote’s current shift toward processing a broader range of crude grades—an adjustment spurred by limited access to Nigerian oil, the plant’s initial feedstock.
Responding to Operational Hurdles
Since its commissioning in January 2024, the 650,000-barrels-per-day Lagos-based refinery has faced design flaws and equipment upsets—most notably with its residue fluid catalytic cracker (RFCC). While test runs began in Q3 2024, the unit has experienced repeated outages in 2025, forcing the refinery to rely on its lower-yield reformer, reducing gasoline output.
In July, a Dangote executive told Platts that the RFCC was operating at 85% capacity, dismissing rumors of a planned turnaround in December.
Despite these setbacks, the refinery has expanded its influence, accounting for much of Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity, especially as NNPC facilities experienced widespread outages.
Strategic Expansion Plans Underway
Bird will also spearhead Dangote’s broader African expansion strategy, including:
- Increasing refining capacity to 700,000 b/d
- Developing foreign storage terminals, beginning with Namibia
- Launching a CNG-powered truck distribution fleet of 4,000 units in August
- Preparing the refining arm for a dual listing on the Lagos and London Stock Exchanges
Balancing Domestic Supply and Export Growth
Under a naira-based trade pact with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), which owns 7.2% of the project, Dangote is obligated to supply fixed volumes of fuel to the local market. But the company has also grown its export share rapidly.
In July 2025, Nigeria exported around 220,000 b/d of petroleum products, with Dangote as the sole contributor. Of this, jet fuel made up 45%, gasoil 24%, and residual fuel, normally used for further processing on-site, accounted for 30,000 b/d.
A Trading-Led Philosophy
Bird has advocated for a trading-led approach to refining—focusing on high plant utilization, cost efficiency, and feedstock flexibility. This strategy reflects Dangote’s recent pivot in sourcing non-Nigerian crudes to maintain operations and competitiveness.
Aliko Dangote, the conglomerate’s founder, will remain chairman of the refining business and CEO of the broader group, which spans cement, sugar, and fertilizer industries. He has repeatedly criticized rent-seeking importers and substandard fuels for undermining local refining efforts.