The President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has said that his company’s multi-billion-dollar refinery is increasingly depending on imported crude oil from the United States because of the shortage of domestic supply in Nigeria.
During a recent visit by the Technical Committee of the One-Stop Shop (OSS) for crude oil and refined product sales in naira, Dangote noted that the refinery was still facing serious supply gaps. This has led to a reliance on international sources, especially from the United States, to meet its demand and keep production on track.
According to data obtained, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery plans to import about 17.65 million barrels of crude oil between April and July 2025.
Already, 3.65 million barrels have been received in the past two months, with more deliveries expected through June and July. A large portion of this supply is the WTI Midland crude from the United States, a high-quality oil that suits the refinery’s complex operations.
Dangote addressed the OSS delegation at the Lekki refinery site, where he welcomed their support for President Bola Tinubu’s naira-for-crude initiative.
He noted that the policy has helped reduce fuel prices, stabilized the local currency, and lowered the pressure on Nigeria’s foreign exchange demand. Despite these positives, he explained that limited local crude production continues to be a big challenge.
“It is unfortunate that we still don’t have enough crude from within Nigeria to fully run the plant. So we’ve had to bring in supplies from the US,” Dangote said during the visit.
He also spoke about the scale of the investment and the infrastructure needed to build such a facility. According to him, the refinery includes one of the largest private marine terminals in the world, capable of receiving the biggest ships globally.
The OSS Technical Committee, led by Coordinator Mrs. Maureen Ogbonna, described the refinery as a major step toward Nigeria’s economic freedom. She said the impact of the $20 billion project touches many areas, from agriculture and health to manufacturing and construction.
“This refinery touches all our lives. There’s scarcely any sector unaffected. From pharmaceuticals to construction, food to plastics, this project is transformational. God has used the President of the Dangote Group to liberate Nigeria. I see this as the beginning of an industrial revolution,” she stated.
Ogbonna also noted the refinery’s research and development lab, calling it world-class and unlike anything seen in Nigeria. She urged Dangote to stay focused and ignore critics, saying the project represents a historic win for Africa, not just a personal achievement.
The refinery, with a daily capacity of 650,000 barrels, is expected to meet Nigeria’s full fuel demand. It will produce petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, and kerosene, with the extra volumes planned for export. Apart from the US, it is also built to refine crude from Africa and the Middle East.
Vessel tracking information showed that 21 ships delivered crude oil to the Dangote Refinery between April 6 and May 28, 2025. Most of these deliveries came through Lagos ports, bringing in over 3.65 million barrels in that time alone.
In the coming weeks, the refinery will receive nine million barrels in June and another five million barrels in July. This continued importation shows the urgent need for stable crude oil supply to help Nigeria reach energy independence through local refining.
