Ghana supplies Dangote Refinery with crude for the second time

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has taken delivery of its second crude oil shipment from Ghana, marking a further shift in the plant’s sourcing strategy as it reduces reliance on European supplies and prepares for major maintenance.

Industry tracking data indicates that the latest cargo of Ghana’s Sankofa crude arrived in November, making it the second time the refinery has tapped the country for feedstock. The development strengthens expectations that Dangote will continue prioritising West African and domestic grades as it stabilises operations and prepares for upcoming shutdowns.

A report by Kpler shows that crude inflows to the refinery averaged about 380,000 barrels per day between September and November — roughly 30 percent below the July–August peak. The decline is attributed to recurrent operational outages and planned maintenance, including a two-month shutdown of the Residue Fluid Catalytic Cracking (RFCC) unit starting December 4, 2026, and a one-week Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) outage slated for late January 2026.

“In November, Dangote’s crude receipts consisted almost entirely of Nigerian grades, led by Bonny Light, with Amenam, Forcados, Utapate, and Qua Iboe following. Notably, the second-ever Ghanaian cargo arrived as well, carrying Sankofa. Looking ahead, we expect Dangote’s crude slate to remain largely domestic, supplemented by smaller volumes from other West African producers or the United States,” Kpler stated.

The refinery’s reduced intake has coincided with a sharp fall in purchases from Europe, particularly from the North Sea and Mediterranean regions, as more Nigerian and West African grades fill the gap.

Kpler’s data indicates that November receipts were dominated by Bonny Light, followed by Amenam, Forcados, Utapate, and Qua Iboe, with Sankofa standing out as the only non-Nigerian component of the month’s crude slate.