By: Eugene Upah (South South Digest)
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals has appointed David Bird, a seasoned industry executive, as its new chief executive officer. The appointment is a strategic move to address operational challenges and drive the company’s next phase of expansion.
Bird, who assumed the role in July 2025, brings extensive experience from a career that includes nearly two decades with Shell. During his time with the company, he served as the vice-president of the Prelude Floating LNG facility and chaired Shell Australia’s RAP board.
Prior to joining Dangote, Bird was the head of Oman’s Duqm refinery and also held the position of Senior Vice President of production operations and supply chain at Santos Ltd.
His appointment comes as the Dangote Refinery, the world’s largest single-train refinery with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, continues to ramp up production. The company is currently undergoing an upgrade to expand its capacity to 700,000 barrels per day by the end of 2025.
According to a LinkedIn update, Bird stated that his focus will be on “advancing the group’s footprint beyond the Nigerian market and across the African continent.”
