Fire broke out at a section of the Dangote Refinery located in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State, on Wednesday afternoon. Witnesses reported seeing large plumes of smoke and hearing loud noises coming from the refinery. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined. The incident occurred in the effluent treatment plant (ETP) of the refinery. Video footage circulating on social media shows thick black smoke rising from the affected part of the complex.
The Dangote Group swiftly contained what they described as a “minor fire incident” at their effluent treatment plant. According to Anthony Chiejina, the Group Chief Branding & Communications Officer of Dangote Industries Limited, there is no cause for alarm as the refinery is still operational, and no injuries were reported among the staff on duty.
The Dangote Refinery, owned by Aliko Dangote, started production in January with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day. The refinery has been hailed as a transformative force for Nigeria and the energy sector across sub-Saharan Africa.
Emergency responders like operatives of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) were not present at the scene at the time of reporting. Further investigations are underway to determine the cause of the fire and assess its impact on refinery operations.
