Crude oil supply from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s trading arm recorded a sharp increase in April 2026, as shipment data showed that more than 1.03 million metric tonnes of crude, equivalent to about 6.8 million barrels or over 1.08 billion litres, were delivered to the Dangote Oil and Gas Company Limited within the month.

An analysis of tanker vessel movements obtained by The PUNCH on Tuesday revealed that the deliveries were carried out through eight crude cargoes handled by NNPC Trading, further cementing the state oil company’s position as a key supplier of feedstock to the 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote refinery.

The cargoes were sourced from major Nigerian crude streams such as Anyala, Bonga, Odudu, Forcados, Qua Iboe, and Utapate, and were transported through the refinery’s Single Point Mooring systems, identified as SPM-C1 and SPM-C2.

According to the document, five of the eight cargoes have already been fully discharged, while three others are still awaiting berthing or completion, reflecting a steady and continuous flow of crude into the refinery.

The development comes despite ongoing concerns raised by the refinery over inadequate supply, as it requires about 19 cargoes monthly to operate optimally. This is also against the backdrop of reports indicating that Nigeria imported 55.39 million barrels of crude oil in January and February 2026.

A detailed breakdown showed that Sonangol Kalandula commenced the supply chain with the delivery of 123,000 metric tonnes of crude from Anyala. The vessel arrived on April 5, berthed on April 8, and departed on April 9.

This was followed by Advantage Spring, which delivered 128,190 metric tonnes of crude from Bonga, arriving on April 11 and completing discharge by April 13.

In the same vein, a vessel identified as Barbarosa delivered 125,000 metric tonnes from Odudu, while Sonangol Njinga Mban conveyed 129,089 metric tonnes from Bonga.

Another completed shipment, handled by Nordic Tellus, delivered 139,066 metric tonnes from Forcados, with discharge completed on April 17.

However, three additional cargoes are still being processed. Advantage Sun, carrying 142,327 metric tonnes from Bonga, has arrived but is yet to berth. Also awaiting completion are Advantage Spring from Utapate with 120,189 metric tonnes, and Sonangol Kalandula from Qua Iboe with 126,471 metric tonnes.

Altogether, the NNPC Trading cargoes amounted to 1,033,332 metric tonnes of crude, reinforcing what industry analysts have described as a “strong and sustained supply commitment” to the Dangote refinery.

Further checks indicated that the refinery also received several shipments of refined petroleum products and blending components from international markets during the same period.

Among these, Seaways Lonsdale delivered 37,400 metric tonnes of blendstock gasoline from Immingham in the United Kingdom, in a transaction handled by Vitol, between April 18 and 19.

Another vessel, Augenstern, supplied 37,125 metric tonnes of Premium Motor Spirit from Lavera in France, with discharge completed between April 8 and 9.

From Norway, Emma Grace transported 37,496 metric tonnes of PMS from Mongstad, while LVM Aaron delivered 36,323 metric tonnes from Lome in Togo.

Similarly, Egret discharged 35,498 metric tonnes of naphtha from Rotterdam between April 16 and 18, providing essential feedstock for gasoline blending operations at the refinery.

A pending consignment, Mont Blanc I, carrying 36,877 metric tonnes of blendstock gasoline from Antwerp in Belgium, is yet to berth, while Aesop is scheduled to deliver 130,000 metric tonnes of residue catalytic oil from Singapore later in April.

In addition to supplies from NNPC Trading, the refinery also received crude cargoes from both international and domestic traders to support its operations.

Yasa Hercules delivered 273,287 metric tonnes of crude from Corpus Christi in the United States, while Front Orkla brought in 264,889 metric tonnes from Ingleside, also in the US.

A significant regional supply came from Navig8 Passion, which delivered 496,330 metric tonnes of crude from Cameroon, underscoring growing regional integration in crude sourcing.

Domestic contributions included Harmonic, which supplied nearly 993,240 barrels from Ugo Ocha, and Aura M, which delivered one million barrels from Escravos, along with an additional 651,331 barrels from Anyala.

Operational records showed that most vessels were berthed within one to two days of arrival and departed shortly after discharging their cargoes, indicating improved efficiency at the refinery’s offshore terminals.

The Dangote refinery, situated in Lekki, Lagos, remains Africa’s largest single-train refinery, with a production capacity of 650,000 barrels per day.

The facility is projected to significantly reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported petroleum products by refining locally sourced crude into petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, and other derivatives for domestic consumption.

NNPC Limited, through its trading arm, continues to play a pivotal role in supplying crude to the refinery under evolving commercial frameworks, amid ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s downstream oil sector.

Earlier in the month, Africa’s richest man and President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, disclosed in a Bloomberg report that the refinery received 10 cargoes of crude oil from the state-owned oil firm in March, compared to an average of about five cargoes monthly since late 2024.

Dangote noted that the shipments comprised six cargoes paid for in naira and four paid for in dollars under the existing crude supply arrangement with the NNPC.

“Nigeria doubled crude supply to Dangote Refinery in March as Africa’s top oil producer moved to shore up fuel availability after the Iran war disrupted Middle East shipments. Last month, they gave us six cargoes with payments in naira and four cargoes with payments in dollars,” he stated.