The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced plans to import more crude oil to meet its operational needs due to insufficient supply from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC).
Officials at the $20 billion Lekki-based refinery confirmed that while the facility currently produces about 500,000 barrels per day (bpd), it aims to hit its full capacity of 650,000 bpd by mid-2025. 
The refinery, which began operations in January 2024 and started producing petrol in September, plays a crucial role in reducing Nigeria’s reliance on fuel imports.
However, the NNPC’s struggles to supply the required 385,000 bpd for the naira-for-crude deal have left a gap that must be filled by importing crude oil from international markets.
A senior refinery official, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted that the scale of the Dangote Refinery necessitates sourcing crude beyond NNPC’s supply capacity.
“This is a 650,000-barrel-per-day capacity refinery. Currently, we are at 500,000 bpd, and we will ramp up to 650,000 bpd by mid-year.
Meeting this demand requires looking beyond Nigeria for crude,” the source stated.
The refinery is also building eight additional crude tanks to boost its storage capacity by 41.67%, increasing it to 3.4 billion litres.
Devakumar Edwin, Vice President in charge of oil and gas business at Dangote Industries, said the move aims to accommodate imported crude as local supplies remain inconsistent.
“Importing crude from other countries instead of buying locally means that our crude stockpiles will have to be higher,” Edwin explained.
Under the naira-for-crude initiative introduced by President Bola Tinubu in July 2024, the NNPC was tasked with selling crude oil to local refineries in naira, starting with the Dangote Refinery.
However, the 450,000 bpd allocated for local refineries is no longer sufficient as Nigeria’s refining capacity expands.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) revealed that the Dangote Refinery, Port Harcourt Refinery, and six others would require 770,500 barrels per day for daily fuel production.
Between January and June 2025, the Dangote Refinery alone is forecasted to need 550,000 bpd, highlighting the increasing demand for crude oil.
Industry experts argue that relying on crude imports could strain operations and compromise Nigeria’s goal of energy self-sufficiency.
While the naira-for-crude initiative is expected to ease dollar pressure and boost local refining, its success depends on NNPC’s ability to meet supply commitments.
Additionally, the refinery’s high-quality Euro 5 standard fuel, praised for its efficiency, has positioned Nigeria as a key player in the global petroleum market.
However, this progress could be hindered if supply gaps are not addressed promptly.
“The refinery game is for the ‘big boys,’ and the Dangote Refinery is among the largest globally,” a consultant to the refinery noted. “With its 650,000 bpd capacity, it has the potential to change the dynamics of fuel production in Africa and beyond.”
As Nigeria ramps up crude production, stakeholders emphasize the need for strategic planning to balance local and imported crude supplies.
