Three months after pledging to source crude exclusively from Nigeria, the Dangote Refinery is bringing in crude from the United States once more.
A shipment of two million barrels of WTI Midland crude is en-route from Chevron Corp, set to arrive at the Lagos-based facility next month.
The move highlights the refinery’s balancing act between domestic commitments and operational demands as it ramps up production to meet regional fuel needs.
For three months, the Dangote Refinery, Africa’s largest, paused its imports of crude oil from the United States.
However, it is now resuming, with reports indicating that Chevron Corp will deliver a shipment of two million barrels of WTI Midland crude next month.
This supply will feed the refinery’s 650,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) petrochemical complex in Lagos, which plays a critical role in Nigeria’s fuel production.
The refinery had previously pledged to rely solely on Nigerian crude.
Initially, it sourced crude from international markets during its efforts to refine Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol.
Crude In Naira
Nigeria’s policy of selling crude in US dollars complicated domestic procurement, driving the refinery to seek external supplies.
Read Also; Why Dangote May Export His Petrol And Not Sell To Nigerians
In October, the Nigerian government introduced a new policy allowing crude sales in naira, which sparked hopes that the refinery would rely entirely on local supply.
Nevertheless, Bloomberg reports that the refinery struck another deal with Chevron, signalling a return to US imports.
As a result, the refinery will receive the shipment of two million barrels of crude next month.
Earlier this year, the refinery imported one or two supertankers of US oil each month, alongside domestic stock.
This latest deal highlights the operational challenges of relying solely on Nigerian crude, as the refinery balances local and international supply chains.
Ultimately, by combining domestic and foreign resources, the Dangote Refinery continues to meet growing fuel demand in Nigeria and across the region, solidifying its position as a key player in Africa’s energy landscape.
