The Dangote Group has recently appointed industry veteran David Bird as the new Chief Executive Officer of its fuels and petrochemicals division. The move signals a new, strategic phase for the Nigerian conglomerate as it seeks to accelerate its expansion and overcome initial operational hurdles at its flagship refinery complex in Lagos. Bird, who previously headed Oman’s Duqm refinery and was instrumental in its development, assumed his new role in July, bringing a wealth of experience to the continent's largest refining project.
Bird's appointment comes at a critical juncture for the company's $20 billion refinery. Since its commissioning in January 2024, the facility has made significant strides, particularly in disrupting Nigeria's long-standing reliance on imported fuel. However, according to reports from S&P Global, the refinery has been "plagued by unit upsets and design issues," which have slowed down its ramp-up phase. Bird's expertise in these very areas is a crucial asset. His leadership is expected to bring a "strategic trading-led mindset, feedstock diversification expertise, and an emphasis on refinery efficiency," all of which will be vital in helping the 650,000 barrels-per-day facility achieve its full output potential.
In a statement to S&P Global’s Platts, Bird emphasized his clear mission: to expand the company’s reach beyond Nigeria and establish it as a leading refining force across the African continent. His focus, he stated, will be on "maximising refinery output and operational efficiency while advancing the group’s footprint continent-wide." Bird's past experience with a complex crude slate at the Duqm refinery is particularly relevant now, as the Dangote facility has been forced to diversify its crude grades due to inconsistent domestic supply, a challenge that aligns perfectly with his professional background.
The new CEO will also be tasked with navigating a complex domestic and regulatory environment. While the Nigerian government has officially dismantled the petrol subsidy regime, the market continues to face what industry insiders describe as "unofficial distortions" and "rent-seeking" behavior. Furthermore, the refinery is bound by a naira-based crude supply agreement with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), which owns a 7.2 percent stake in the facility. This arrangement restricts the refinery’s flexibility to fully adapt to global pricing dynamics and feedstock options, presenting a unique management challenge that Bird will have to tackle head-on.
Despite these challenges, the Dangote Group's ambitious growth agenda remains on track, with Bird now at the helm to guide the company into its next phase. Plans are already underway to expand the refinery's capacity from 650,000 to 700,000 b/d. The group is also making significant investments in logistics and infrastructure, including the development of new port facilities and the establishment of "foreign storage assets in Namibia and other African countries to support exports."
A key element of this expansion is the company’s new distribution network. Starting in August, the group will roll out a fleet of "4,000 compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered trucks" to manage its own fuel delivery, reducing its reliance on third-party transporters in a volatile domestic market. The ultimate goal for the entire operation is a public listing on both the "Lagos and London stock exchanges," a move that founder Aliko Dangote remains committed to, believing it will attract global capital and increase transparency.
