LAGOS, April 8 – Nigeria increased its crude oil deliveries to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in March 2026, with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) supplying 10 cargoes to the facility, up from an average of about five cargoes per month since late 2024.
Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, said the March deliveries comprised six cargoes paid for in naira and four in dollars, in line with the crude supply agreement signed between the refinery and NNPC.
The higher allocation comes as Nigeria moves to strengthen domestic fuel production following disruptions in global oil supply chains linked to tensions in the Middle East. The refinery is expected to play a central role in reducing the country’s reliance on imported petroleum products.
Despite the increase, the refinery is still operating below full capacity with Dangote saying the plant requires about 19 cargoes of crude monthly to run optimally therefore forcing it to continue importing crude from the United States and other African producers to bridge the gap.
He also noted that supply from international oil companies operating in Nigeria has not improved, as many prefer to sell crude to international traders thereby resulting in the refinery repurchasing Nigerian crude at higher prices.
The refinery’s output has increasingly supported regional fuel supply. In March, it exported about 17 cargoes of petroleum products to other African countries, reflecting growing demand across the continent amid global supply constraints.
In addition to refined fuels, the facility is producing polypropylene used in plastic and automotive manufacturing, with demand rising due to shortages linked to ongoing disruptions in the Middle East.
