Nigeria’s Dangote Refinery has for the first time sourced crude oil from Ghana, in a move that reflects its diversification strategy as the $20 billion project works to stabilize output and silence speculation over technical setbacks.
- Dangote Refinery in Nigeria has begun sourcing crude oil from Ghana to diversify its supply chain.
- The refinery is increasing its production rate, reaching about 610,000 barrels per day in August, approaching its full capacity.
- Ghanaian Sankofa crude, among other sources, has been added to the refinery’s portfolio for operational flexibility.
- Despite initial commitments to prioritize Nigerian crude, the strategy has shifted due to supply challenges and market dynamics.
Since the refinery began production, the company has sourced crude not only from Nigeria but also from Brazil, Angola, Ghana, and Equatorial Guinea, according to Dangote Industries’ Executive Director Devakumar Edwin.
According to Kpler, a market insights firm focused on the energy and shipping sectors, the refinery’s receipts in August included five Nigerian Suezmaxes, two United States (U.S.) Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), and a single Ghanaian cargo.
The decision to incorporate Ghana’s Sankofa grade, a medium-sweet crude with 29 API and 0.3 per cent sulphur content, highlights Dangote’s growing appetite for supply flexibility as per The Guardian
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery is operating more reliably than ever, with output climbing to about 610,000 barrels per day in August, nearing its 650,000 bpd nameplate capacity, according to Argus.
Last month, Benedict George, Editor of the Argus European Products Report, said the facility had surpassed industry expectations in 2025, noting steady growth in crude receipts and run rates.
His remarks align with energy firm Kpler’s figures, which put August throughput at 450,000 bpd, or 70 per cent of capacity, highlighting the refinery’s steady rise despite ongoing questions about technical resilience.
This marks an increase from around 400 bpd, or 60 per cent, in the first quarter of the year, but still falls short of the expectations that have surrounded Africa’s largest refining complex.
This diversification illustrates the evolving feedstock strategy of the plant, which in July had seen U.S. light sweet crude overtake Nigerian barrels in its intake mix for the first time.
Doubts arise over Dangote refinery’s reliance on Nigeria’s crude
Questions are mounting over the Dangote refinery’s ability to rely on Nigerian crude, with concerns centering on supply stability and shifting market dynamics.
The uncertainty comes despite earlier assurances from Dangote Industries that the $20 billion facility would prioritize local crude and gradually ease dependence on imports.
A representative of the company told Bloomberg in June that Dangote aimed to prioritize Nigerian supply, gradually phasing out imported volumes.
“We expect some of the long-term contracts will expire. Personally, and as a company, we expect that before the end of the year, we can transition 100% to local crude,” the official was quoted as saying.
Yet in practice, Dangote’s feedstock strategy is shifting. By adding Ghana to its supply basket, the refinery is signaling a more pragmatic approach to securing operational consistency, even as it seeks to reassure markets of its long-term reliance on Nigerian crude.
This balancing act between diversification, maintenance schedules, and public commitments reflects both the challenges and the strategic positioning of a project that has become central to Nigeria’s energy security narrative.
For now, the refinery’s record intake levels, coupled with new supply links from Ghana, suggest a facility still fine-tuning its operations in the face of complex realities.
