Dangote Refinery Expands Crude Supply Network, Imports First

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has expanded its global crude sourcing strategy with the purchase of two crude oil cargoes from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), marking the first time the refinery will import crude from the Middle East.

Industry sources familiar with the transaction said the cargoes are expected to arrive in the coming weeks, reflecting the refinery’s growing efforts to diversify its feedstock as production continues to increase.

The development follows the easing of tensions in the Middle East after the United States and Iran reached an interim peace agreement that restored confidence in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest oil transit routes. The renewed flow of tankers has boosted the availability of Middle Eastern crude in the global market.

With a refining capacity of about 650,000 barrels per day, the Dangote Refinery was originally designed to process Nigeria’s light sweet crude. However, the company has increasingly broadened its crude slate to improve operational flexibility and optimize refining costs.

Dangote Group President, Aliko Dangote, and the refinery’s Chief Executive Officer, David Bird, had earlier disclosed plans to process a wider range of crude grades, including heavier and lower-cost blends, as part of efforts to strengthen the refinery’s commercial competitiveness.

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), the UAE’s largest crude producer, declined to comment on the reported transaction.

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Although geopolitical tensions recently disrupted shipping activities in the Gulf, the UAE continued exporting crude from its Gulf terminals and the Port of Fujairah. Its key export grades include Murban, Das Blend, Umm Lulu and Upper Zakum.

Following the restoration of stability in the region, benchmark Murban crude prices have fallen sharply, trading at around $66.40 per barrel on June 26, nearly $6 below pre-conflict levels, according to market assessments.

Shipping data show that around 70 per cent of the refinery’s crude imports in 2025 originated from Nigeria, while approximately 24 per cent came from the United States.

The refinery has continued to widen its sourcing network in 2026, importing crude cargoes from Angola, Ghana, Libya and Guyana alongside domestic Nigerian supplies.

Industry analysts say the latest acquisition from the UAE underscores Dangote Refinery’s ambition to evolve into a globally competitive merchant refinery capable of processing a broader mix of crude grades while strengthening Nigeria’s position as a major refining hub in Africa.