Crude deliveries — all from west Africa — in April to Nigeria's 650,000 b/d Dangote refinery were the highest for any month since the facility began operations, according to Argus tracking.
Receipts rose to 635,000 b/d from 565,000 b/d in March. There has been a strong increase in receipts in February-April following the end to a round of planned works by operator Dangote Group on a crude distillation unit (CDU). Deliveries averaged 495,000 b/d in January-April, up from 375,000 b/d on the year.
There were 21 separate deliveries in April, easily a new record. No very large crude carriers (VLCC) called at Dangote, instead there was one Aframax tanker and 20 Suezmax deliveries.
Some vessels shuttle between Nigerian offshore crude platforms and Dangote. Only ten separate tankers were used to undertake the 21 consignments received. One Suezmax tanker made four deliveries, three others completed a trio of shipments. The single Aframax cargo came from Cameroon and all the Suezmax deliveries were Nigerian grades, with no US WTI delivered.
The rise in receipts to reach close to the nameplate capacity of Dangote has taken around two and a half years (see chart). The plant began taking crude sporadically at the end of 2023, with deliveries becoming regular from March 2024.
Receipts in 2025 averaged just over 410,000 b/d, with US WTI the largest single crude and Bonny Light the most frequent Nigerian grade.
April receipts comprised 160,000 b/d of Bonny Light, 65,000 b/d each of Escravos, Qua Iboe and Bonga, 50,000 b/d of CJ Blend, then 25,000-35,000 b/d each of Nigerian Utapate, EA, Jones Creek, Amenam, Forcados, Brass River, plus 25,000 b/d of Cameroon's Ebome. The medium, very sweet Ebome was a first at Dangote.
Argus assessed Dangote's April receipts at a weighted average of 35.1°API and 0.2pc sulphur content, compared with 37.2°API and 0.2pc sulphur in March. Receipts averaged 37.1°API and 0.15pc sulphur in January-April, compared with 36.8°API and 0.2pc sulphur across 2025.
The pace of receipts into May appears good. A cargo each of Qua Iboe and Odudu should arrive at Dangote's discharge buoys (SPM) in the next 24 hours.
