Aliko Dangote to Build Africa’s Largest Detergent Raw Material Plant as Dangote Refinery Reaches Full Capacity
Africa’s foremost industrialist, Aliko Dangote, has announced a landmark expansion of the Dangote Refinery complex with plans to construct the largest Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) production plant on the continent, a bold move set to position Nigeria as Africa’s leading supplier of detergent raw materials.
The new petrochemical project will produce Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB), a critical input used in manufacturing surfactants, the active cleaning agents found in soaps and detergents. While not a finished consumer product, LAB is the essential feedstock relied upon by detergent manufacturers across Africa and beyond.
400,000 Tonnes Annual Capacity A Continental Game-Changer
The proposed plant, scheduled for completion within 30 months, will have an annual production capacity of 400,000 tonnes, a figure that dramatically surpasses Africa’s current combined output.
Presently, the continent has only two LAB production facilities:
Algeria – 100,000 tonnes
Egypt – 50,000 tonnes
Dangote emphasized the transformational scale of the project during a guided tour of the refinery alongside Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd).
“That raw material for detergent will be sufficient for the entire African continent. It’s 400,000 tonnes, which we don’t have. The only two are one in Algeria, 100,000 tonnes, and Egypt, 50,000 tonnes. But we are going 400,000. And we will deliver all this in the next 30 months,” Dangote stated.
From Refinery to Industrial Hub
The $20 billion Dangote Refinery, already recognized as Africa’s largest petroleum refinery, is now stabilizing toward full-capacity fuel production. With refining operations gaining momentum, Dangote is strategically transforming the complex into a multi-product industrial hub, incorporating petrochemicals and other large-scale manufacturing ventures.
According to Dangote, the refinery’s evolution extends beyond fuel production: “This is not just a refinery. It’s an industrial hub. That’s why we are doing a Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) plant, which is a raw material for detergents.”
NNPC is expected to collaborate on aspects of the broader industrial expansion, reinforcing public-private industrial cooperation in Nigeria’s energy and manufacturing sectors.
Read also Africa’s Richest Man Expands Leadership Succession as Daughters Take Key Roles in Conglomerate
Reducing Imports, Boosting African Manufacturing
Africa currently relies heavily on imported LAB to sustain its detergent and cleaning products industry. The new Dangote facility is projected to:
Meet the continent’s entire LAB demand
Significantly reduce import dependence
Lower production costs for African manufacturers
Strengthen local value chains
Enhance Nigeria’s position as a regional industrial powerhouse
Expanding Petrochemical Dominance
The LAB project further consolidates Dangote Group’s expanding petrochemical footprint, complementing its established operations in:
Fertiliser production
Cement manufacturing
Oil refining
Agriculture
Industrial manufacturing
With this expansion, the Dangote industrial complex is poised to become one of the most integrated manufacturing ecosystems in the Global South, a development that signals a new era for African industrial self-sufficiency.
The next 30 months could redefine Africa’s detergent and petrochemical landscape.
