Nigeria’s 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote Petroleum Refinery has imported 2 million barrels of crude oil from the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), marking its first-ever purchase of crude from the United Arab Emirates and a significant expansion of its global sourcing strategy. According to Reuters, the refinery received two cargoes in June, one containing Umm Lulu crude and another carrying either Das or Murban crude, as it seeks to diversify feedstock supplies while ramping up operations.
The purchases come amid softer global crude markets following the easing of tensions around the Strait of Hormuz after the U.S.–Iran ceasefire, alongside weaker demand in Asia that has made more Middle Eastern crude available to buyers in other regions. Traders told Reuters that while Dangote continues to source between five and seven cargoes of crude each month from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) because of lower shipping costs, the refinery requires approximately 13 to 15 cargoes monthly to operate at full capacity.
The refinery has increasingly diversified its crude slate in response to domestic supply constraints. Reuters reported that Dangote also imported up to 65,000 barrels per day of Libyan crude in May, adding to previous purchases from the United States and other African producers. Since reaching full operational capacity, the refinery has emerged as a major exporter of refined petroleum products, particularly middle distillates, supplying markets in Europe and across Africa amid persistent disruptions to global fuel trade.
For Nigeria’s energy sector, the first imports from ADNOC underscore the refinery’s growing flexibility in securing crude from multiple international sources while strengthening its position as one of the world’s largest single-train refining facilities. Analysts say the diversification of feedstock will enhance operational resilience, support higher refining throughput, and reinforce Dangote’s role in transforming Nigeria from a major importer of refined fuels into a significant exporter serving regional and global markets.
