Global engineered heavy lifting and transport solutions specialist Mammoet has announced that it has signed a contract with Dangote Oil Refinery in Nigeria to provide lifting and moving services for heavy components.

The contract was signed last week in Lagos and provides for Mammoet to transport, lift and install all over-dimensional cargo for the new multi-billion-dollar refinery, said to be Africa’s biggest, being built by the Dangote Group of Companies in resource-rich Nigeria.

The refinery will have a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day and will boost economic growth in Nigeria and generate thousands of jobs, said a statement from Mammoet, which added that the refinery is scheduled to come onstream in 2019. It is expected to increase Nigeria’s oil exports and reduce its reliance on imports of petroleum products.

“We are delighted to work together with our Nigerian partner Northridge Engineering on one of the most significant projects that will help the economies of Nigeria and the West Africa region. We feel honoured to have been entrusted by the Dangote Group with the heavy lifting and transport requirements for this project. We look forward to working with them to contribute to a safe and efficient project,” said Harm Tiddens, Mammoet’s general manager for the region.