Canadian aerospace giant Bombardier Inc. has thrown its weight behind the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lagos, praising it as a world-class facility and a vital player in the global aviation fuel market. The endorsement came during a high-profile visit by Bombardier chairman Pierre Beaudoin and top executives, who toured the refinery and met with Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man.
Beaudoin singled out the refinery’s ability to produce low-sulphur jet fuel in huge volumes, describing it as “exceptional.” He noted that the fuel meets strict global environmental standards, making it a big win for airlines facing tougher emission rules worldwide. To cap the visit, Bombardier presented a prototype aircraft to Dangote—a symbolic show of confidence in the refinery’s future role in powering aviation.
Dangote, in his remarks, stressed that the refinery was built to meet international benchmarks set by the World Bank, the US Environmental Protection Agency, the EU, and Nigeria’s Department of Petroleum Resources. He assured that the plant can meet Nigeria’s full demand while exporting surplus to global markets. Already, the refinery supplies about two-thirds of Nigeria’s jet fuel and has started exporting to Europe, West Africa, and even the United States.
The refinery, which began with 650,000 barrels per day capacity and later expanded to 700,000, now ranks among the largest in the world, surpassing South Korea’s Onsan facility. It has also been approved as the sole supplier of Jet A1 fuel to Nigerian airlines, a move that strengthens both the nation’s energy security and foreign reserves.
Beyond jet fuel, Dangote is also investing in electric and compressed natural gas trucks to modernise logistics, underscoring his push toward cleaner energy solutions. Analysts say the Bombardier endorsement adds international credibility to the refinery while showing how Nigeria can play a leading role in global energy transition.
