DANGOTE REFINERY TURNS TO ANGOLA AS NIGERIAN SHIPS MISS OUT

By Ohworisi Elohor.

The Dangote Refinery opted to use vessels from Angola to transport its crude and refined products, following the inability of Nigerian shipping operators to meet the logistical requirements.

This development was revealed during the 2025 Maritime Law Seminar held in Lagos, where the President of the African Shipowners Association in Nigeria, Captain Ladi Olubowale (Rtd), noted that the absence of suitable vessels in the country had caused the refinery to look beyond Nigeria’s shores.

According to Olubowale, Nigerian ship owners lacked the necessary capacity, particularly in terms of vessel types required for large-scale operations such as those needed by the Dangote Refinery.

“Nigeria does not possess the Supermax, Suezmax, or Aframax class vessels essential for transporting such volumes of petroleum products,” he said.

He warned that until the nation builds its deep-sea maritime infrastructure, it would continue to forfeit key economic opportunities to foreign players.

In the same vein, the President of the Nigerian Association of Master Mariners (NAMM), Captain Tajudeen Alao, disclosed that efforts were initially made to engage local vessels for the refinery’s operations across West Africa. However, none met the required standards or capacity.

He urged the Federal Government to fast-track the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF), stressing that improved access to funding would enable indigenous operators to compete for major contracts within the sub-region’s oil and gas logistics market.

The missed opportunity has reignited calls for strategic investment in Nigeria’s maritime sector to ensure local participation in future projects of this scale.