Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has appointed former Shell executive David Bird as the Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Refinery, marking a significant leadership move as the industrialist accelerates expansion plans across Nigeria’s energy and logistics sectors.
Bird, a Stanford University graduate, brings decades of experience in the oil and gas industry to the role. Prior to joining Dangote Refinery, he served as CEO of OQ8, a 230,000 barrels-per-day refinery in Oman. He also spent 14 years at Shell, where he rose to become Vice President of Prelude FLNG, a $12 billion floating liquefied natural gas facility supporting Shell’s operations in Australia.
Bird’s appointment comes as Dangote Refinery, located on the outskirts of Lagos, intensifies operations at its 650,000 barrels-per-day facility Africa’s largest. Crude imports to the plant surged by 29 percent in July to 18.87 million barrels, the highest volume recorded so far in 2025.
In a further sign of expansion, Dangote has applied for regulatory approval to construct a deep-sea port in Olokola, Ogun State. The proposed port, located about 100 kilometers from the refinery complex, is expected to bolster Dangote Group’s logistics capacity and support exports from its fertilizer and petrochemical operations.
Currently, Dangote exports urea and fertilizer through a dedicated on-site jetty, which also serves as a key import route for heavy equipment. The proposed Atlantic seaport is set to play a critical role in the conglomerate’s long-term strategy to become a global energy and manufacturing powerhouse.
