Aliko Dangote, has announced his plans to develop a massive 20,000-megawatt private power generation project, one of the most ambitious energy initiatives ever undertaken by a single African entrepreneur.
Dangote made the revelation during a fireside chat with International Finance Corporation (IFC) Managing Director Makhtar Diop at the IFC headquarters in Washington, D.C.
He said
“We are now going into power — 20,000 megawatts,”
Citing reliable electricity as a cornerstone of Africa’s industrial future alongside fertiliser production and other critical inputs.
The proposed project dwarfs Nigeria’s existing power infrastructure.
The country currently boasts an installed capacity of around 13,000 MW but struggles to deliver a reliable 4,000–5,000 MW amid chronic transmission losses, infrastructure deficits, and fuel supply challenges.
If successfully executed, Dangote’s initiative could more than quadruple reliable power supply, potentially transforming the economic landscape by enabling uninterrupted industrial production, attracting foreign investment, and reducing the crippling cost of self-generated electricity.
The power push forms part of a wider vision financed by strong cash flows from the Dangote Refinery in Lagos. The facility, valued at over $20 billion, has recently been tested at 661,000 barrels per day, exceeding its 650,000 bpd nameplate capacity.
Dangote outlined additional mega-projects, including:
– Expansion of fertiliser production to rank among the world’s largest.
– Mining developments, including potash and phosphate operations in Congo-Brazzaville.
– Construction of a deep-sea port with an 80-metre draft.
– Further advancements in LNG and agriculture.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals is a 650,000 barrels per day (BPD) integrated refinery located in the Lekki Free Zone of Ibeju Lekki Lagos, Nigeria. It is Africa’s biggest oil refinery and the world’s biggest single-train facility.
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