Dangote appoints ex-Shell executive to lead Africa's biggest refinery

Nigeria’s Dangote Group has appointed David Bird, a former Shell executive and ex-CEO of 0Q8 refinery in Oman, as chief executive of its refinery and petrochemical division, the company said on Saturday, as it accelerates its pan-African growth strategy.

Bird, whose appointment took effect on August 1, brings over three decades of industry experience, including a 14-year stint at Shell where he oversaw the $12 billion Prelude FLNG project.

His appointment comes as Dangote’s $20 billion refinery complex in Lagos, the world’s largest single-train facility, ramps up output following its commissioning in January 2024.

With a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, it is Africa's biggest refinery.

Nigeria's Business Day was first to report on Bird's appointment on Friday.

Operational setbacks

Despite expanding output, the Lagos refinery has faced operational setbacks, including design flaws and unit upsets, prompting a shift to a more diverse crude slate.

Bird said, in a LinkedIn post, that his focus would be on boosting efficiency and expanding the company’s footprint across Africa.

Dangote also plans to list its refining business on the Lagos and London stock exchanges, although it has not given a timeframe.

Dangote, which exported 220,000 bpd in July - led by jet fuel and gasoil - according to S&P Global's Commodities at Sea Data, plans to increase the refinery's capacity to 700,000 bpd and launch a CNG-powered truck fleet to strengthen domestic distribution.

Chairman Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, is also seeking regulatory approval for a deep-sea port in Ogun state to support logistics.