The Dangote Group has appointed David Bird, former CEO of Oman’s Duqm Refinery, as the new chief executive of its petroleum and petrochemicals division in a strategic move aimed at tackling ongoing operational setbacks and positioning the refinery for global growth.
Bird assumed his role in July 2025, taking charge of the group’s fuels and petrochemicals business, including its flagship 650,000 barrels-per-day (b/d) Lagos refinery — the largest single-train refinery in the world, which was commissioned in 2024.
Aliko Dangote, founder of the conglomerate, will remain chairman of the refining arm while continuing as CEO of the overall group, which spans industries including cement, fertilizers, and sugar.
Bird’s appointment is widely viewed as a decisive step to stabilize operations and enhance efficiency. Drawing from his success at OQ8, where he oversaw the Duqm refinery’s expansion and crude diversification ahead of its 2023 test runs, Bird will focus on boosting output, diversifying feedstock, and expanding market reach beyond Nigeria.
“The priority is to ensure maximum efficiency, optimize plant utilization, and build a strong footprint across Africa and beyond,” Bird told Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights.
The Lagos refinery, despite its transformative impact on Nigeria’s fuel market by significantly reducing gasoline imports, has faced “design issues,” regulatory hurdles, and fluctuating crude supply since its commissioning. Aliko Dangote has previously criticized rent-seeking practices and low-quality fuel imports as major setbacks to operations.
Bird’s strategy aligns with Dangote’s recent pivot to refining a wider variety of crude oils, responding to the limited availability of the Nigerian-grade crude initially targeted for the plant.
Despite its global ambitions, the refinery remains tied to a domestic supply agreement, delivering set volumes of fuel to the Nigerian market through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), which holds a 7.2% stake in the project.
Looking ahead, Dangote Group plans to expand the refinery’s capacity to 700,000 b/d, invest in port upgrades, and establish overseas storage facilities in countries such as Namibia. Additionally, from August, the group will launch its own distribution network with 4,000 compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks to strengthen supply logistics.
Executives have also confirmed plans to list the refinery on both the London and Lagos stock exchanges, signaling a push for greater transparency and international investor participation.
