Hot SourceCanadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier Inc. has thrown its weight behind the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, praising the Lagos-based mega plant for its “world-class” operations and its ability to produce cleaner jet fuel that meets global aviation standards.
During a high-profile visit to the sprawling facility in the Lekki Free Trade Zone, senior Bombardier executives described the refinery as a “game-changer for African aviation”.
According to the company, Dangote’s output of low-sulphur jet fuel is already helping airlines across West Africa and beyond meet tougher international emissions rules.
Industry sources said Bombardier marked the occasion with the presentation of a prototype aircraft to Aliko Dangote, the Nigerian industrialist behind the refinery. The gesture, while largely symbolic, underscored what Bombardier called its “strategic interest in a reliable African source of sustainable aviation fuel”.
The Dangote plant, widely regarded as the world’s largest single-train refinery, has moved quickly from start-up to exporter. In recent months it has shipped tens of thousands of tonnes of Jet A-1 fuel to Rotterdam and other European hubs, with additional cargoes headed for Ghana, Togo and Senegal.
Nigeria, long dependent on imported aviation fuel, is already seeing a shift. Latest figures suggest the refinery now supplies around two-thirds of the country’s jet-fuel demand, sharply reducing the need for costly imports and saving millions of dollars in foreign exchange.
Aviation consultant Chinedu Eze told The Herald the development was “the most significant boost to Nigeria’s aviation sector in decades,” adding, “For the first time, we can plan with a stable, local supply of cleaner jet fuel. That changes everything from ticket pricing to safety margins.”
For Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, the endorsement from Bombardier is more than a public-relations win. It positions the refinery as a continental hub for aviation fuel, aligning with Nigeria’s push to become a regional energy powerhouse.
“This is about more than Nigeria,” Mr Dangote said in a brief statement. “It’s about Africa meeting its own energy needs and setting the standard for clean, reliable aviation fuel.”
Bombardier’s support highlights a growing recognition that Africa’s energy transition can no longer be viewed solely through the lens of crude exports. By meeting international environmental standards, the Dangote refinery is showing that African infrastructure projects can compete at the very top of the global value chain.
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