The Dangote Petroleum Refinery is on track to stop importing crude oil by the end of 2025, as it plans to rely entirely on domestic supply. According to a Bloomberg report, the refinery sourced 53 percent of its crude locally in June and expects that figure to reach 100 percent before the year ends. This shift is set to mark a significant milestone in Nigeria’s journey toward energy self-sufficiency.
Vice President of Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin, confirmed that the refinery is gradually reducing reliance on foreign crude. He explained that current foreign supply contracts will expire by the end of the year, paving the way for a full transition to locally sourced oil. The move is seen as part of the refinery’s strategic effort to strengthen Nigeria’s oil refining capacity and reduce foreign exchange pressure from imports.
With a processing capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, the refinery has already begun influencing fuel imports. Reports indicate that gasoline exports to West Africa from the European Union, United Kingdom, and Norway dropped to a four-month low in June, a development largely attributed to increased output from the Lagos-based facility.
Initially, the refinery relied on crude oil imports from countries such as the United States, Angola, and Brazil to kickstart operations. However, it is now turning its attention to Nigeria’s domestic crude, including supplies from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC). The refinery is set to receive five crude oil cargoes from NNPC in both July and August, each carrying nearly one million barrels.
Once the refinery achieves full reliance on local crude, Nigeria is expected to save billions in foreign exchange and strengthen its energy sector. The development could also boost local oil producers and reduce the country’s dependence on imported refined products.
