The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has received its second-ever crude shipment from Ghana, coinciding with a sharp drop in its crude imports from Europe.
- The Dangote Petroleum Refinery received its second crude shipment from Ghana, Sankofa grade, adjusting its feedstock mix amidst reduced European imports.
- Between September and November, daily crude deliveries averaged 380,000 barrels, a decline attributed to maintenance activities and outages.
- Key maintenance included a two-month shutdown of the RFCC unit starting December 4 and a planned one-week outage of the Crude Distillation Unit in January.
- The refinery is essential for Nigeria’s energy goals and Africa’s drive toward petroleum self-sufficiency, focusing predominantly on Nigerian and West African grades.
Dangote Refinery has received its second-ever crude shipment from Ghana, coinciding with a sharp drop in its crude imports from Europe as the facility adjusts its feedstock mix ahead of major maintenance
Industry tracking data shows that the latest cargo, Ghana’s Sankofa grade, arrived in November, marking only the second time the refinery has sourced crude from the country.
Data from Kpler indicates that crude deliveries to the refinery averaged about 380,000 barrels per day between September and November, roughly 30% lower than volumes recorded during the July–August peak.
“In November, Dangote’s crude receipts consisted almost exclusively of Nigerian grades, predominantly Bonny Light, followed by Amenam, Forcados, Utapate, and Qua Iboe. Notably, the second-ever cargo from Ghana arrived as well, carrying Sankofa. Looking ahead, we expect Dangote’s crude slate to remain primarily domestic, supplemented by smaller volumes from other West African producers or the United States,” Kpler said.
The lower intake is linked to recurring outages and extensive maintenance, including a two-month shutdown of the Residue Fluid Catalytic Cracking unit that began on December 4, as well as a one-week outage of the Crude Distillation Unit scheduled for late January.
As Dangote trims intake, its purchases from Europe, particularly from the North Sea and Mediterranean regions, have dropped sharply, creating more space for Nigerian and other West African grades.
Pushing Africa’s Fuel Independence
Dangote’s refinery is not only pivotal to Nigeria’s energy ambitions but also integral to Africa’s broader drive for self-sufficiency in petroleum supply.
The refinery is moving forward with an ambitious expansion plan expected to raise processing capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day, positioning it among the largest globally.
Equipped with advanced refining technology and a production capacity that surpasses domestic needs, the facility is positioning itself to supply refined products across the continent, steadily reducing Africa’s long-standing dependence on foreign imports.
It recently announced a major production milestone, hitting a combined daily output of 70 million litres of petrol and diesel – 45 million litres of petrol and 25 million litres of diesel, surpassing Nigeria’s domestic fuel demand.
