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Dangote Refinery has secured its first crude oil supply from Ghana, underscoring a planned diversification of its supply sources, amid escalating concerns about the refinery’s operational reliability.
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Data from market intelligence firm Kpler indicates that the refinery is now functioning at around 450,000 barrels per day (kbd), which is roughly 70% of its intended capacity. This shows an improvement from the 400 kbd (60%) during the first quarter, although it still does not meet the anticipated performance for Africa’s largest refinery.
The facility recently began using Ghana’s Sankofa crude oil, which is a medium-sweet variety with an API gravity of 29 and contains 0.3% sulfur, as part of its feedstock. In August, Dangote took delivery of five Suezmax tankers from Nigeria, two Very Large Crude Carriers from the United States, and one cargo from Ghana.
Kpler highlighted the reintroduction of Brass River crude, which had been missing from Dangote’s production list for almost a year. This emphasizes the company’s increasing effort to diversify its supply sources beyond just Nigerian and American light sweet crude.
Meanwhile, Cameroon’s Sonara has revealed intentions to have its Limbe Refinery operational again by 2027, following eight years of inactivity due to a fire. If the refinery resumes operations, it could heighten the competitive landscape for Dangote in West and Central Africa.
