Mr Devakumar added that the refinery is actively exploring all available markets to expand its reach.

An official has said that the 650,000 barrels per day of the Dangote Refinery could begin operating at full capacity in 30 days.

"The refinery is currently operating at 85 per cent capacity, and we can go 100 per cent in 30 days," Reuters reported Monday, quoting Devakumar Edwin, a vice president at Dangote Industries Limited, as saying.

He said that the refinery had to import crude oil last year after it could not secure enough supply locally, despite an agreement with the Nigerian government to buy crude in the local naira currency.

Mr Devakumar added that the refinery is actively exploring all available markets to expand its reach.

"We are looking at all the markets right now."

The refinery commenced production of diesel and aviation fuel in January 2024.

Announcing the commencement of production, the company said the refinery had received six million barrels of crude oil at its two SPMs 25 kilometres from the shore.

The first crude delivery was done on 12 December 2023, and the sixth cargo was delivered on 8 January 2024.

The company made a further move towards the commencement of the production of refined petroleum products with the receipt of an additional one million barrels of bonny light crude supplied by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd).

In April 2024, the company commenced supplying petroleum products to the local market.