Bonny crude has emerged as the single largest source of feedstock for Dangote Petroleum Refinery during the latest shipping cycle, according to a Petroleumprice.ng review and analysis of the refinery's crude discharge operations, underscoring the growing importance of Nigeria's flagship crude grade in sustaining operations at Africa's largest refinery.
The discharge schedule, covering cargoes received between May and June 2026, shows Bonny accounted for the highest number of crude and condensate deliveries among all supply locations, ahead of other domestic grades such as Forcados, Escravos, Agbami, Anyala-Madu, Odudu, Qua Iboe, Utapate and Tuja, as well as imported crude from Libya, Ghana and Cabinda.
Bonny Light is one of Nigeria's flagship crude oil grades, produced in the Niger Delta and exported through the Bonny Oil and Gas Terminal in Rivers State. The light, low-sulphur crude is widely valued by refiners for its high yield of premium petroleum products, including petrol, diesel and aviation fuel, making it one of Nigeria's most sought-after export grades.
The refinery received multiple Bonny crude cargoes during the period. These included the MOSCOW SPIRIT, which discharged 1,031,361 barrels of Bonny crude after arriving on 31 May and berthing on 1 June, the ADVANTAGE SERENITY, which delivered 133,291 metric tonnes of Bonny crude between 15 and 17 June, and the ADVANTAGE SOLO, which discharged 675,000 barrels of Bonny crude on 18 June.
In addition to crude, Bonny also supplied condensate to the refinery. The IL HAAM delivered 29,606 metric tonnes of condensate after arriving on 18 May, while the ELLIE M II discharged another 30,000 metric tonnes following its arrival on 2 June.
The concentration of Bonny cargoes placed the export terminal ahead of other Nigerian production hubs represented in the discharge schedule.
Forcados was the next most active source, supplying crude through the SONANGOL KALANDULA and NAUTILUS I, while Escravos contributed one cargo aboard ADVANTAGE SPRING. Other Nigerian grades delivered during the period included Agbami, Anyala-Madu, Utapate, Qua Iboe, Tuja and Odudu, reflecting a broad domestic sourcing strategy.
Beyond Nigeria, Dangote Refinery also continued to diversify its crude procurement by receiving imported cargoes from several international locations. These included 957,245 barrels from Ghana aboard ADVANTAGE SPRING, 1,043,246 barrels from Libya on KRITI HERO, and 996,897 barrels from Cabinda delivered by ADVANTAGE SOLO.
The discharge programme also featured non-crude feedstocks, including low gas oil feedstock from Baton Rouge, United States, blendstock from Abidjan, and an EA Blend cargo loaded at Sea Eagle Terminal, highlighting the refinery's use of multiple feedstock streams to support refining operations.
Overall, the refinery's discharge schedule recorded 25 inbound cargoes during the reporting period. The majority comprised crude oil sourced from Nigerian terminals, complemented by imported crude, condensate and specialised feedstocks.
The shipping data indicates that while Dangote Refinery continues to broaden its supply network through selective imports, Bonny remains its most frequently utilised crude source, reinforcing the grade's central role in feeding the refinery's growing operations.