Aliko Dangote has unveiled plans for a massive Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) plant, positioned to turn his $20 billion refinery complex into Africa’s premier industrial hub.

LAB is the essential raw material used to create surfactants, the active cleaning agents in soaps and detergents.

The new facility is projected to produce 400,000 tonnes annually, a figure that dwarfs the continent’s current combined capacity of just 150,000 tonnes.

The project, which is slated for completion within 30 months, aims to end Africa’s heavy reliance on expensive chemical imports from overseas.

Currently, only Algeria and Egypt possess LAB production capabilities, leaving the rest of the continent vulnerable to global supply chain shocks.

Dangote’s intervention is expected to provide enough raw material to satisfy the entire continent’s detergent manufacturing needs.

This expansion signals a strategic evolution for the Dangote Refinery as it moves toward full capacity fuel production.

By hosting petrochemical and specialized manufacturing projects on-site, the complex is transitioning from a simple oil refinery into a multi product industrial zone.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has already expressed interest in partnering on the LAB project, recognizing its potential to stabilize local manufacturing costs.

The LAB plant further deepens the Dangote Group’s footprint in the everyday essentials market, complementing its dominant positions in cement, sugar, and fertilizer.

By controlling the beginning of the supply chain for cleaning products, the conglomerate is not just selling a product; it is building the infrastructure that will allow thousands of smaller African soap manufacturers to scale their businesses with locally sourced materials.

SOURCE: BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA