Dangote refinery appoints David Bird, ex-Shell executive, as CEO

Dangote Refinery has appointed David Bird, a former Shell executive, as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Bird, who previously headed Oman’s Duqm Refinery and served as Shell’s head of operations at the Pulau Bukom refinery in Singapore, took over the role in July 2025.

Key Highlights of David Bird’s Appointment:

Background : Bird is a mechanical engineer with a degree from Imperial College, London, and an MBA from Stanford University. He has over 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, including his tenure at Shell.

Role and Responsibilities:  As CEO of Dangote Refinery, Bird will focus on maximizing output and operational efficiency, positioning the company as a global market leader. He aims to expand the refinery’s footprint beyond Nigeria and across the African continent.

Challenges and Opportunities:  The appointment comes as the refinery strives to overcome production challenges and advance its expansion plans. Bird’s experience in expanding the Duqm refinery and diversifying its crude slate is expected to be valuable in this regard.

Future Plans: Under Bird’s leadership, Dangote Refinery plans to

Increase Capacity :  Expand the Lagos refinery’s capacity to 700,000 barrels per day

Distribution Network : Launch a new distribution business with 4,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered trucks

Global Presence : Establish foreign storage assets in locations like Namibia and list the refining business on the London and Lagos stock exchanges

Aliko Dangote, the founder of Dangote Group, will retain his role as chairman of the refining business and CEO of the broader conglomerate. With Bird at the helm, the refinery is poised to tackle its current production bottlenecks and emerge as a sustainable powerhouse in global energy markets.