Aliko Dangote says his refinery has needed to more and more depend on crude oil imports from the US attributable to inconsistent provide from Nigerian producers, regardless of a nationwide push to prioritise native refining.
Throughout a go to by the Technical Committee of the One-Cease Store for the naira-for-crude initiative, Dangote disclosed that his $20 billion refinery has confronted persistent difficulties securing enough native crude, forcing a pivot to US-sourced feedstock.
“Nonetheless, he famous that attributable to a scarcity of home crude oil, the refinery has more and more relied on imports from the US to fulfill its wants in latest months,” an announcement from the corporate learn on Thursday, June 19.
Transport information compiled by Bloomberg reveals that from April to July 2025, the refinery is projected to import 17.65 million barrels of crude, primarily West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Midland.
This grade, identified for its gentle and candy qualities, has develop into the popular selection, with US imports now accounting for one-third of the refinery’s crude consumption this 12 months.
The corporate has already obtained 3.65 million barrels of US crude previously two months, transported by 21 vessels docking at Lagos ports between April 6 and Might 28. Two of the most important deliveries arrived on Might 23, every carrying 273,454 metric tonnes.
READ ALSO: Nigeria Imports ₦1.19tn Crude as Native Provides Dwindle
Dangote praised the naira-for-crude initiative for serving to stabilise the naira and lowering product costs, however identified that native crude output has fallen wanting the refinery’s rising demand.
From December 2024 to June 2025, the refinery imported 27.1 million barrels from the US, in comparison with 46.2 million barrels from Nigeria.
A Dangote spokesperson confirmed to Bloomberg that the shift in direction of US imports displays each rising processing volumes and declining availability of Nigerian crude.
Though the refinery has sourced oil from Brazil, Angola, and Libya previously, US crude now leads its imports.
The refinery, constructed to course of 650,000 barrels per day, is designed for flexibility throughout a number of crude sorts. But, Dangote’s workforce says provide consistency stays important for full-scale operations.
