Aliko Dangote lands in Ottawa as his refinery reshapes global jet fuel markets

Aliko Dangote flew from Hill Top Airport in New Jersey to Ottawa on June 9, arriving in the Canadian capital aboard his Bombardier Global Express XRS (tail N104DA) after a short 77-minute hop north. The trip follows a June 7 positioning flight from the same aircraft near Bermuda into the New York area, suggesting Dangote transited through the U.S. Northeast before crossing into Canada.

The visit coincides with a moment of extraordinary global leverage for Dangote's refinery. Per S&P Global Commodities at Sea data cited by Billionaires.Africa on June 2, the Dangote Refinery became the world's single largest exporter of aviation fuel in April 2026, capitalizing on Middle East supply disruptions after the Iran war shut down the Strait of Hormuz. The same week, refinery CEO David Bird told the S&P Global Energy Middle East Petroleum and Gas Conference in London that the facility is running flat out at 650,000 barrels per day and can supply jet fuel "competitively all over the world." The IEA has warned Europe has roughly six weeks of jet fuel reserves remaining.

The Ottawa stop is an unusual destination for Dangote, whose fleet typically shuttles between Lagos, Abuja, London, Dubai, and Houston. His recent flights show a pattern of globe-spanning movement — from Accra to Nairobi, then to Lagos and Paris — consistent with managing a refinery that has turned Nigeria into a net petrol exporter and now supplies U.S. ports with jet fuel. The Canadian capital may host policy discussions around energy security as Dangote's refinery becomes a swing producer for Western markets.