Honeywell deploys AI platform at Dangote Refinery, targets $60 million in benefits 

Honeywell Technologies, global, pure-play automation company, is introducing an industrial artificial intelligence platform at Nigeria’s Dangote refinery, betting that AI-driven operations can deliver more than $60 million in annual gross benefits as the facility expands production. The platform, Forge Plant Cognition, combines industrial automation, engineering expertise and AI to improve efficiency and profitability. 

The system is being deployed at the refinery in the Lekki Free Zone in Lagos, using technology from NVIDIA and Dell Technologies to help operators identify production bottlenecks, anticipate equipment problems and improve plant performance. Honeywell said preliminary estimates suggest the platform could generate benefits exceeding 29 cents per barrel processed.

AI puts a price on efficiency 

Honeywell estimates the technology could deliver about $60 million in annual gross benefits when the refinery reaches full-capacity throughput. The company cautioned that the figures are preliminary and not guaranteed, making the projected gains dependent on operating conditions and the refinery’s eventual production levels. 

The deployment comes as Dangote Petroleum Refinery pursues a major expansion. Honeywell is already supporting plans to increase the facility’s nameplate capacity from 650,000 barrels per day to 1.4 million barrels per day by 2028, a target that would substantially increase its processing scale.

Beyond monitoring industrial plants 

Built on Honeywell’s Forge Cognition platform, Forge Plant Cognition combines real-time operating data with engineering knowledge, process expertise and physics-based models. The approach is designed to move beyond conventional AI systems that primarily analyze data and recommend actions, helping operators translate insights into decisions on the plant floor. 

“By collaborating with Dangote to launch Forge Plant Cognition, we are demonstrating how AI can help transform industrial operations,” said Rajesh Gattupalli, president of Honeywell Technologies UOP. He said the technology could improve productivity, reliability and profitability across complex industrial facilities.

Expansion extends beyond Nigeria 

The company, which focuses on industrial automation, sees AI-enabled systems as a way to help complex facilities improve performance while managing operating costs as production scales. Honeywell has also been selected to support Dangote’s plans for a new mega-refinery in Kenya’s Lamu County, extending its involvement in the industrial group’s expansion ambitions beyond Nigeria. The projects underscore the growing role of automation and digital technologies in large-scale refining operations across Africa. 

Owned by Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote, the refinery is an integrated petroleum refining and petrochemical complex in Lagos. Its expansion could strengthen its position in regional fuel supply, while Honeywell’s projected AI savings offer a potential financial incentive for deploying advanced technology at scale.