Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals has named David Bird, former head of Oman’s Duqm Refinery, as its new Chief Executive Officer.
Bird, who stepped into the role in July 2025, will lead the company’s fuels and petrochemicals arm, focusing on scaling production and improving efficiency. His track record includes expanding Duqm’s capacity and managing complex refinery operations during his time at Shell and OQ8.
Aliko Dangote will continue as chairman of the refining arm and CEO of the wider conglomerate.
Speaking on his new role, Bird said his priority is to “advance the group’s footprint beyond Nigeria and across the African continent.”
The Lagos-based plant, which started operations in 2024, has already cut Nigeria’s fuel import dependence but has faced technical challenges. Plans are in motion to raise capacity to 700,000 barrels per day and roll out a 4,000-truck distribution fleet.
