Lagos—Dangote Petroleum Refinery has secured at least 16 million barrels of Nigerian crude for October delivery, as Africa’s largest refinery continues to ramp up processing, according to four industry sources.

The purchases amount to roughly 520,000 barrels per day (bpd) and represent most of the 700,000-bpd refinery’s expected monthly crude intake.

The October purchases include crude allocated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) as well as additional volumes acquired through a tender.

NNPC Supply

NNPC is expected to supply Dangote with eight Nigerian crude cargoes and one cargo of U.S. WTI Midland crude in October, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The nine cargoes would match NNPC’s monthly supply record to the refinery, following similar volumes supplied in April, May and August, according to Kpler data.

Dangote also purchased a second WTI Midland cargo from another supplier through a spot tender, two traders said, alongside additional Nigerian crude to bring its October purchases to at least 16 million barrels.

The refinery has previously sourced crude from a wide range of international suppliers, including grades from Libya and Guyana.

Nigerian Crude Exports Under Pressure

Dangote’s growing appetite for domestic crude could reduce the amount of Nigerian oil available for export, particularly as international demand for crude has strengthened following the disruption to Middle Eastern supplies caused by the Iran war.

The refinery received approximately 565,000 bpd of Nigerian crude in August, according to Kpler data. That was almost twice its average intake of about 280,000 bpd during 2025.

Dangote has also been in discussions with NNPC to secure additional crude cargoes.

The refinery is preparing for an initial public offering (IPO), making reliable access to crude feedstock an important issue for prospective investors.

The final volume of crude purchased for October could rise if Dangote secures additional supplies.

Dangote did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Key Numbers

  • 16 million barrels: Minimum Nigerian crude secured for October
  • ~520,000 bpd: Equivalent daily crude volume
  • 700,000 bpd: Dangote refinery’s nameplate capacity
  • 565,000 bpd: Nigerian crude received by the refinery in August
  • 280,000 bpd: Average Nigerian crude intake in 2025
  • 9 cargoes: NNPC’s planned October supply, including one WTI Midland cargo

Source: Reuters
Reporting: Robert Harvey, Ahmad Ghaddar and Seher Dareen
Additional reporting: Isaac Anyaogu
Editing: Alex Lawler and Rod Nickel