Top 10 Largest Oil Refineries in Africa

Africa is home to several large oil refineries crucial in meeting the continent’s growing energy demand and supporting economic development. These refineries process crude oil into various petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and LPG, which are critical for transportation, industrial operations, and household use.

Many of Africa’s largest refineries are concentrated in major oil-producing nations like Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, and Angola. They leverage their access to vast crude reserves.

The largest refineries are characterized by:

• High Processing Capacity: Ranging from 100,000 to over 600,000 barrels per day.
• Modern Technologies: Designed to produce cleaner fuels in compliance with international environmental standards.
• Strategic Locations: Proximity to oil fields, ports, and significant population centres.

 Africa achieved an oil refinery capacity of about 4.1 million barrels per calendar day in 2023.

Read: Top 10 Largest Oil Refineries in Europe by Capacity in 2023

Top Largest Oil Refineries in Africa

Below are the largest oil refineries spanning the African continent:

Dangote Refinery

• Location: Lekki Free Trade Zone, Lagos State, Nigeria
• Capacity: 650,000 barrels per day
• Operator: Dangote Group
• Products: 
  • Fuels: Petrol, diesel, jet fuel, and kerosene.
  • Petrochemicals: Polypropylene and other chemical derivatives for industrial use.
  • Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG): Catering to domestic and industrial energy needs
• Crude Source:
  • Domestic Source: Supply for National Oil Company, NNPC Limited
  • Imports: the United States and Brazil
• Market Reach & Distribution
  • Road Transport: Tanker trucks deliver refined products to retail stations and industries
  • Maritime Routes: Nigeria’s strategic coastal location can be leveraged for shipping refined products to international markets. Thus, excess refined products can be exported to West Africa, Europe, South America, and Asia.

Located in the Lekki Free Trade zone in Lagos state, Nigeria, the Dangote Refinery is the largest in Africa by capacity. The refinery produces a wide range of refined products for domestic use and export markets, including petrol, diesel, jet fuel, and petrochemical derivatives.

Skikda Refinery 

• Location: Skikda, Algeria
• Capacity: 355,000 barrels per day
• Operator: Sonatrach, Algeria’s state-owned oil and gas company
• Products: 
  • Fuels: Petrol, diesel, jet fuel, and kerosene.
  • Petrochemicals: Ethylene, propylene, and polyethylene
  • Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG): Catering to domestic and industrial energy needs
• Crude Source:
  • Domestic Source: Supply for National Oil Company, NNPC Limited
  • Imports: Spain, Italy, and the Middle East.
• Market Reach & Distribution
  • Pipeline Network: Transports gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and kerosene to key cities and depots across Algeria.
  • Road Tankers: Deliver refined products to local filling stations and industrial facilities.
  • Exports: Located near the Mediterranean Sea, the refinery is accessible from the Port of Skikda. It is a major hub for exporting refined products and petrochemicals to North Africa and Europe.

Located in the Port of Skikda along the Mediterranean Sea and operated by the Libyan National Oil Corporation, the Skikda Refinery is one of the largest refineries in Algeria and Africa. The facility has a capacity of 355,000 barrels per day. It produces various petroleum products such as gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, LPG, and kerosene. Positioned near the Port of Skikda, the refinery enables efficient distribution of refined products to domestic markets and export destinations, mainly Europe and North Africa.

Ras Lanuf Refinery 

• Location: Ras Lanuf, Libya
• Capacity: 220,000 barrels per day
• Operator: Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC)
• Products: 
  • Fuels: Petrol, diesel, jet fuel, and kerosene.
  • Petrochemicals: Ethylene, propylene, and polyethylene
  • Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG): Catering to domestic and industrial energy needs
• Crude Source:
  • Domestic Source: Supply for National Oil Company, Libyan National Oil Corporation
• Market Reach & Distribution
  • Pipeline Network: The refinery is connected to a network of pipelines that transport refined products, including gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and LPG, to storage facilities and distribution points across Libya.
  • Road Tankers: Products are transported from the refinery to local filling stations, industrial users, and other key facilities using road tankers and local pipelines.
  • Exports: The refinery’s proximity to the Ras Lanuf Port enables the export of refined products and petrochemical derivatives to Europe, North Africa, and the Mediterranean.

Located in the port city of Ras Lanuf and operated by the Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC), it is one of the largest refineries in Libya and Africa. The facility is part of a larger petrochemical complex that includes an ethylene plant and a polyethene plant. The refinery has a capacity of 220,000 barrels per day. It produces various petroleum products such as gasoline, jet fuel, naphtha, and kerosene. Also, it produces petrochemicals like ethylene and propylene. The refinery has faced several challenges; political and military unrest in Libya has frequently disrupted operations. The refinery has been shut down and restarted several times in recent years. In addition, it is an ageing infrastructure that requires continuous investment to maintain and upgrade facilities.

Port Harcourt Refinery 

• Location: Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
• Capacity: 210,000 barrels per day
• Operator: Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC)
• Products: 
  • Fuels: Petrol, diesel, jet fuel, and kerosene.
  • Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG): Catering to domestic and industrial energy needs
• Crude Source:
  • Domestic Source: Local supply from NNPC
• Market Reach & Distribution
  • Road Tankers: Products are transported from the refinery to local gas stations, industrial users, and other key facilities using road tankers and local pipelines.

The Port Harcourt Refinery is one of Nigeria’s largest and most important oil refineries. It is one of the four major refineries in Nigeria, owned and operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC). The refinery has a combined capacity of 210,000 barrels per day, comprising two plants:

• Old Port Harcourt Refinery: With a capacity of 60,000 barrels per day
• New Port Harcourt Refinery: With a capacity of 150,000 barrels per day

However, The refinery has often operated below its installed capacity due to frequent maintenance shutdowns, ageing infrastructure, extended outages, and technical issues.

Durban Refinery 

• Location: Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
• Capacity: 180,000 barrels per day
• Operator: SAPREF (jointly owned by Shell South Africa and BP Southern Africa)
• Products: 
  • Fuels: Petrol, diesel, jet fuel, and kerosene.
  • Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)
• Crude Source:
  • Imports: The Middle East from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Kuwait; and West Africa from Nigeria, Angola, and Gabon.
• Market Reach & Distribution
  • Pipeline Network: SAPREF supplies refined products to major distribution hubs across South Africa via a network of pipelines. These pipelines transport products to key Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Cape Town depots.
  • Road Tankers: Refined products from SAPREF are transported to local fuel stations, industrial sites, and power plants nationwide.
  • Rail Transport: Railways are also used to transport refined products to various regions, primarily bulk deliveries to inland areas.
  • Export Markets: SAPREF exports refined petroleum products to various African countries, including Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, and the Indian Ocean islands. The refined products are transported via pipelines, road tankers, and ships from Durban’s port.

The Durban Refinery, also known as SAPREF, is one of the largest oil refineries in South Africa and Africa. Located in the port city of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal province, it is owned and operated by a joint venture between Shell and BP. However, SAPREF has faced challenges recently due to ageing infrastructure and increased import competition. In 2022, the refinery was temporarily shut down due to operational issues.

Middle East Oil Refinery 

• Location: Alexandria, Egypt
• Capacity: 160,000 barrels per day
• Operator: Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation
• Products: 
  • Fuels: Petrol, diesel, jet fuel, and kerosene.
  • Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)
  • Petroleum coke
• Crude Source:
  • Domestic Source: MIDOR processes significant volumes of crude oil from Egyptian fields, particularly those in the Western Desert, Gulf of Suez, and Mediterranean offshore regions.
  • Imports: From the Middle East, Saudi Arabia & Iraq, and Africa from Algeria & Libya.
• Market Reach & Distribution
  • Pipeline Network: MIDOR connects to Egypt’s national pipeline infrastructure, facilitating the efficient transportation of refined products to various parts of the country.
  • Tanker Trucks: Used for shorter distances and direct delivery to distribution centres or end-users.
  • Exports: MIDOR’s location near Alexandria, with access to Mediterranean shipping routes, facilitates its ability to source crude oil globally and exports to other markets

The Middle East Oil Refinery (MIDOR) is one of the most advanced oil refineries in the Middle East and Africa, and it is strategically located in Alexandria, Egypt. Established in 1994, the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation owns and operates the refinery. The facility produces many high-quality petroleum products, including gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, LPG, and naphtha. Also, the refinery has a processing capacity of approximately 160,000 barrels per day, with ongoing expansions aimed at boosting this to 200,000 bpd.

Cairo Mostorod Refinery 

• Location: Mostorod, North Cairo, Egypt
• Capacity: 142,000 barrels per day
• Operator: Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation
• Products: 
  • Fuels: Petrol, diesel, jet fuel, and kerosene.
  • Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)
• Crude Source:
  • Domestic Source: From Egyptian fields, particularly those in the Western Desert, Gulf of Suez, and Mediterranean offshore regions.
  • Imports: From the Middle East, Saudi Arabia & Iraq, and Africa from Algeria & Libya.
• Market Reach & Distribution
  • Pipeline Networks: Pipelines transport refined products to key distribution hubs, storage facilities, and depots across Egypt.
  • Transport by Truck and Rail: In areas not directly served by pipelines, products are transported by trucks and rail to retail stations, industries, and other demand points.

The Cairo Mostorod Refinery is one of Egypt’s and Africa’s largest and most important oil refineries, strategically located in the Mostorod area, north of Cairo, Egypt. Operated by the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC), the refinery has a processing capacity of around 142,000 barrels per day. It primarily refines domestic crude oil from Egypt’s oil fields. However, it also imports crude when needed to supplement local production. The refinery’s output includes vital products such as gasoline, diesel, kerosene, jet fuel, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which are crucial for Egypt’s transportation, power generation, and industrial sectors.

El Nasr Refinery

• Location: Suez, Egypt
• Capacity: 132,000 barrels per day
• Operator: Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation
• Products: 
  • Fuels: Petrol, diesel, jet fuel, and kerosene.
  • Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)
• Crude Source:
  • Domestic Source: MIDOR processes significant volumes of crude oil from Egyptian fields, particularly those in the Western Desert, Gulf of Suez, and Mediterranean offshore regions.
  • Imports: From the Middle East, Saudi Arabia & Iraq, and Africa from Algeria & Libya.
• Market Reach & Distribution
  • Pipeline Networks: El Nasr Refinery is connected to a network of pipelines that transport refined products to various storage depots and regional distribution hubs across Egypt.
  • Transport by Truck and Rail: Refined products are transported by tank trucks and rail to areas not served by pipelines to ensure that they reach their intended destinations.
  • Exports: The refinery’s location in Suez is particularly strategic due to its proximity to the Suez Canal, one of the most important global shipping routes. The canal facilitates the import and export of crude oil and refined products.

The El Nasr Refinery is one of the largest refineries in Africa, located in Suez, Egypt. Operated by the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC), it processes both light and heavy crude oil to produce critical products such as gasoline, diesel, kerosene, jet fuel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and fuel oil. These products are distributed throughout Egypt to meet the demands of the transportation, industrial, and residential sectors.

Warri Refinery 

• Location: Warri, Delta State, Nigeria
• Capacity: 125,000 barrels per day
• Operator: Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC)
• Products: 
  • Fuels: Petrol, diesel, jet fuel, and kerosene.
• Crude Source:
  • Domestic Source: Local supply from NNPC
• Market Reach & Distribution
  • Road Tankers: Products are transported from the refinery to local gas stations, industrial users, and other key facilities using road tankers and local pipelines.

The Warri Refinery is one of Nigeria’s largest and most important oil refineries. It is one of the four major refineries in Nigeria, owned and operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC). However, The refinery has often operated below its installed capacity due to frequent maintenance shutdowns, ageing infrastructure, extended outages, and technical issues.

Zawiya Refinery 

• Location: Zawiya, Libya
• Capacity: 120,000 barrels per day
• Operator: Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC)
• Products: 
  • Fuels: Petrol, diesel, jet fuel, and kerosene.
  • Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG): Catering to domestic and industrial energy needs
• Crude Source:
  • Domestic Source: Supply for National Oil Company, Libyan National Oil Corporation
• Market Reach & Distribution
  • Pipeline Network: Refined products are transported via pipelines to storage depots and major cities, including Tripoli and other regions.
  • Road Transport: Tanker trucks distribute fuels to local petroleum stations and industrial facilities where pipelines are unavailable.
  • Exports: Located adjacent to the refinery, the Zawiya Port is a key point for exporting refined petroleum products to Europe, North Africa, and Asia.

Located in Zawiya and operated by the Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC), it is one of the largest refineries in Libya and Africa. The refinery has a capacity of 120,000 barrels per day. It produces various petroleum products such as gasoline, jet fuel, naphtha, and kerosene. However, the refinery has faced several challenges; political and military unrest in Libya has frequently disrupted operations. The refinery has been shut down and restarted several times in recent years. In addition, it is an ageing infrastructure that requires continuous investment to maintain and upgrade facilities.

Alexandria El Mex Refinery

• Location: El Mex area, Alexandria, Egypt
• Capacity: 117,000 barrels per day
• Operator: Alexandria Petroleum Company, a subsidiary of Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation.
• Products: 
  • Fuels: Petrol, diesel, jet fuel, fuel oil, and kerosene.
  • Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)
  • Naphtha: A feedstock for petrochemical plants.
  • Asphalt (Bitumen): Used in road construction.
• Crude Source:
  • Domestic Source: Crude oil from Egyptian fields, particularly those in the Western Desert, Gulf of Suez, and Mediterranean offshore regions.
  • Imports: From the Middle East, Saudi Arabia & Iraq, and Africa from Algeria & Libya.
• Market Reach & Distribution
  • Pipeline Network: The refinery is integrated into Egypt’s petroleum pipeline network, allowing seamless transport of products to storage facilities and distribution centres.
  • Tanker Trucks: Used for shorter distances and direct delivery to distribution centres or end-users.
  • Exports: Its proximity to Alexandria Port supports the export of surplus refined products and easy receipt of imported crude oil and raw materials.

The El Mex Refinery, located in Alexandria, Egypt, is one of the country’s key refining facilities and one of the top refineries in Africa. Operated by the Alexandria Petroleum Company, the refinery processes domestic and imported crude oil to produce various refined petroleum products, including gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, and asphalt. Its strategic location near Alexandria Port allows for efficient crude importation and product exportation.

Honorary Mentions

Lobito Refinery – 200,000 Barrels per day

• Location: Lobito, Benguela Province, Angola, near the Atlantic coast,
• Refining Capacity: Designed to process 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil.
• Feedstock: Utilizes crude oil from Angola’s prolific offshore fields.
• Refined Products:
  • Gasoline: For domestic and regional automotive markets.
  • Diesel: For industrial and transportation needs.
  • Jet Fuel: To support aviation industries domestically and across Africa.
  • Liquefied Petroleum Gas: For household and industrial use.
  • Fuel Oil and Asphalt: Supporting energy and infrastructure sectors.