Dangote Refinery Increases U.S. Crude Imports Amid Local Supply Challenges
Nigeria’s Dangote Refinery has significantly increased its reliance on American crude oil, with U.S. imports comprising one-third of the facility’s feedstock in 2025. The 650,000 barrels-per-day Lagos-based refinery has nearly doubled its proportion of West Texas Intermediate Midland crude compared to 2024, highlighting ongoing challenges with domestic crude supply obligations.
The elevated purchases reflect the refinery’s rising processing levels and reduced availability of Nigerian crude for purchase. WTI Midland offers technical advantages over Nigerian crude, including improved reformate yields and better gasoline blending capabilities, according to industry analysts. The increased flows have provided marginal support to the Brent market while demonstrating the refinery’s operational flexibility.
Trading giant Vitol Group emerged as the biggest supplier of U.S. barrels to the facility, with June and July alone expected to see 14 million barrels of WTI Midland deliveries. The development coincides with relatively weak Asian demand for WTI Midland due to Chinese tariffs on U.S. crude and competition from Abu Dhabi’s Murban crude supplies.
Source: This Day Live