Algeria's refinery output capacity is now 25 million tonnes per year, and ongoing maintenance and improvement works will help increase production to 30 million tonnes, Energy and Mines Minister Youcef Yousfi said on Thursday.

Yousfi told state radio the government was planning to build new refineries to meet increasing long-term demand.

He also said the ministry would later this month sign a deal with "the world's largest firm" to set up an aluminium plant with a capacity of 1 million tonnes per year. He did not name the company.