Dangote Refinery to Begin Production of Detergent Materials

Dangote Refinery has announced plans to begin producing surfactants used in detergent manufacturing as part of efforts to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported raw materials.

The refinery’s Chief Executive Officer, David Bird, disclosed the development during a news conference, saying the company had reached advanced stages in securing commercial agreements to install a Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) plant.

LAB is a key ingredient in the production of surfactants, the active agents that provide the foaming and cleaning properties of detergents for household, laundry, and personal hygiene.

Bird said the refinery had been in detailed negotiations with a technology licensor and was close to finalising the commercial terms for the plant’s installation.

Dangote Refinery to Begin Production of Detergent Materials. Credit: Nairametrics.

“I am very pleased today to announce that we have been in deep discussions with a licenser and just about to finalize the commercial terms for installing a linear alphabet benzene plant,” he said.

“And this is the surfactant; this is what makes the bubbles in detergent. So, as you know, with Dangote, we evaluate business opportunities by what demand is driven by pure population.”

He explained that the investment aligns with the company’s strategy of pursuing projects driven by strong domestic demand, noting that Nigeria’s growing population continues to fuel demand for essential products such as fuels, lubricants, and detergents.

According to him, detergents should not be considered luxury goods, given their importance to hygiene and everyday living.

Bird said the proposed LAB plant would support import substitution, adding that detergent inputs used across West Africa are currently sourced entirely from abroad. The initiative, he said, is expected to strengthen local manufacturing, reduce foreign exchange demand for raw materials and potentially lower production costs for detergent producers in Nigeria and the region.

He described the move as part of broader reinvestment efforts to improve economic sustainability and industrial self-sufficiency in Nigeria and West Africa.