In what is fast becoming an eyesore in Abuja, the nation’s seat of power, sub-standard schools built primarily for money-making now dot the landscape of most satellite towns in the FCT. With the education inspectorate doing little or nothing to address the menace, stakeholders fear that the practice may harm a system already struggling with the scourge of multi-layered neglect. DIRISU YAKUBU reports!
education is seen largely as both a service and a right. It is the responsibility of the government across all tiers to dispense education to the citizenry, whose right it is to embrace. Difficult as it is to enumerate its mileage in a single report, it suffices to suggest that the biggest weapon in the armoury of Nigeria’s foremost nationalists and Africa’s freedom fighters was the education they had, which enabled them to dare the colonial imperialists, forcing the latter to relinquish power reluctantly.
So big is the harvest of a good quality education that the Sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the then Premier of the Western Region, made education compulsory and free for children, many of whose parents could not afford fees and other payments required to keep their wards within the four walls of an educational institution.
The near collapse of governance at all levels in subsequent years culminated in the fall of education standards, forcing well-to-do parents to withdraw their children and wards from public schools for enrollment in private institutions.
With improved earnings over the years, many parents took the private schools’ option, given their ability to pay more remuneration to teachers while exposing pupils and students to better-teaching models and other extra-curricular activities.
The patronage of private schools, needless to state here, has seen education morph from a service to business ventures. Across major cities in Nigeria, including Abuja, the seat of power, those who have no expertise in school administration have, with a combination of greed and crass opportunism, set up schools, targeting the children of low-income earners, to earn a living.
In most of the satellite towns in the FCT, schools lack basic infrastructure, and qualified manpower and recreational facilities are a common sight today. With government officials either playing the ostrich or abdicating their duties, enforcement of standards has thus been relegated to the background.
In a tour of some ‘schools’ in Abuja, The PUNCH uncovered a litany of rot, ranging from the engagement of semi-literate teachers to the absence of libraries, laboratories, sports facilities, to name just a few.
Findings revealed that the school proprietors, while charging relatively high fees, pay their teachers peanuts, citing the harsh economic realities of the times.
At Leaders Academy Drive, off Tiga Street, Kurudu, Abuja Municipal Area Council, is a three-bedroom apartment housing a family of four. It is a middle-class residential building, plastered but not painted. On this fateful Tuesday morning, a sharp voice emanating from a store in this building got the attention of this correspondent.
To his surprise, a young lady reading out Nigerian States and their capitals announced to a class of four children an impending examination to test their mastery of what she had taught them thus far.
Surprised that a school was being run in such a location, this reporter took a few steps in the direction of the young teacher, and this conversation ensued.
“Good morning, madam. How are you doing today? You run a school here?,” I asked her.
Good morning, sir. Yes, we are just starting,” she replied. “Our target is the young children who are old enough to be in school now, but due to one reason or another, are not. Things are tough for many families, and we are trying to make sure that we have in place a system that can be of assistance to these young children and their parents.”
Then I went further by asking to know if it was a conventional school she set out to run.
“Interesting! I will be right to say this is not a formal school but an arrangement to get these young minds engaged, preparatory to having them enrolled in a conventional school.”
She replied, “It is a conventional setting, sir. From here, their parents can take them straight to basic four or five and after a year or two, they will proceed to junior secondary school. I have ten pupils here of different ages. They did not start at the same time, and I don’t teach them the same thing.”
When I asked which curriculum they used in teaching the kids, she added, “I teach them the things I believe they should know. I teach them English, Mathematics, Civics Education, Christian Religious Studies and Basic Science. We are not using any curriculum for now.”
On the affordability of her arrangement, she replied, “We have an agreement with the parents. I am also a bit careful because there are basic requirements for setting up a school. The parents love what I do here, and they support me. I don’t want to speak in detail about fees or whatever you call it.”
She refused to state whether she was a trained teacher or not, when this correspondent asked to know. Instead, she stated her love for teaching endeared her to the project.
“I will go back to school. It is my love for teaching that inspired me to start this. I will go back to school soon. Like I said, these children are very young. I am just trying to teach them basic things they should know at this stage of their lives,” she added.The story of this unnamed “school” resonates across many communities in the Federal Capital Territory. Taking advantage of a system with a near-zero disposition to the enforcement of basic standards, individuals with little or no training in education set up ‘schools’ that can best be described as business centres.
Still in the Kurudu District, the story is slightly better at the Lifespring Academy, which runs nursery/primary and secondary schools.
At Lifespring, the school lacks a modest space required for the sporting needs of the students. As it were, students here make use of public fields at the Local Education Authority Primary School for their interhouse sports and other outdoor activities.
A man who simply identified himself as Mr Joshua told our correspondent that though Lifespring is an upgrade on other schools in the vicinity, it suffers from a lack of adequately trained manpower needed for imparting knowledge.
He said, “Everything is turning to business, and we should be worried. Here (Lifespring), one is surprised to see that they have an SSCE and NECO accreditation centre. That is their biggest bargaining chip. They will tell you that their accreditation status indicates the high rating they enjoy in the books of the Federal Capital Territory Administration authorities.
“We must not manage two things: education and health. If health and education facilities are substandard, let us not expect much to reap thereafter. What is happening is that business is winning, but services are neither here nor there.”
Lifespring Academy, Kurudu, Federal Capital Territory
A trip to the Ivy Academy, Kpeyegi, revealed a similar pattern of poor standards and lack of trained manpower. A pre-nursery, nursery, and primary school, Ivy Academy boasts a handful of skilled teachers and several school certificate holders.
At the Graceland International Academy, Orozo, a magnificent edifice, paints a phoney picture of efficiency on how things ought to be done.
The PUNCH’s findings, however, revealed a litany of shady deals, including the poor payment of teachers, some of whom have complained to no avail.
“While the management of the institution frequently announces an increment in the fees paid by the students, the same does not reflect in the remuneration of teachers who do the bulk of the work,” a young woman who declined to be named told our correspondent.
According to her, “These people see themselves as destiny helpers and in a way, they are right. They make you feel that you are indebted to them for life for allowing you to earn a living. So, you have no power to influence things and a staff member, you also have to be careful because colleagues who are into eye service can betray you,” she added, without providing further explanation.
Perhaps, the worst of these private schools is the Potter’s Legacy Ville Academy, Anka. Located along the Karu/Orozo/Karshi expressway, one can be carried away with the allure of its beautiful name.
Exposed to multiple dangers, including security threats and noise pollution, the unfenced school is certainly where everything happens except conducive learning. Without a gate, the school, as well as its pupils and teachers, are exposed to the threat of abduction, invasion, and all forms of criminal activities.
Needless to state here, the school is an employer of poorly-trained teachers, who are only too glad to be earning a living with the little knowledge they can dispense.
At the City Royal Junior and Secondary Schools, Nyanya, Abuja, the major challenge identified by our correspondent is the lack of a playing field for extra-curricular activities for both teachers and students.
“Without striking a balance between education and sports, “a Mathematics teacher, Mr Haruna Kebe, argued that the needed psychological equilibrium needed to excel may prove a huge challenge for students.
While noting that education has gone beyond the rendering of essential services, Kebe frowned at the influx of businessmen into the sector, who merely built schools for the sole purpose of financial gain.
He said, “People are setting up schools as business ventures. Many of them are not educationists, but they are in the business of running schools everywhere. In some cases, residential buildings are converted to schools. They are tapping into a gap in the system to make the argument that they are also creating jobs. These people don’t care about standards. This is a grave concern we must address as a nation,” he said.
Haruna
He further lamented the absence of a sports field for the physical development of children in the areas of football and track events, saying, “Most of them don’t have the environment for sporting activities, and this is one of the requirements for setting up a school.”
The Maths teacher, who has taught the subject in different schools, further revealed how the lack of standards makes it easier for school proprietors to enslave teachers, taking advantage of the scarcity of jobs in the country.
“Most of the teachers are overworked. In the last school I taught (name withheld), I was teaching Mathematics from JSS 1-3, taking SS1 students in Physics and handling Basic Science for JSS1-3 Basic Technology. You can see that they don’t care about the staff’s mental health. They are only interested in what comes into their pockets,” he added.
He also faulted religious bodies for setting up schools that they cannot manage.
“The churches are establishing schools because through these schools, they make money to run the churches. I have no issue with well-run schools owned by churches. But a situation where a church struggling to find its feet also sets up a school simultaneously leaves much to be desired,” he added.
Qualification
“How many teachers are qualified? There are very few. But I don’t think a Bachelor’s degree in Education is the main thing, because some of these so-called qualified teachers are not better than those who do not have degrees in education. I have a B.Sc in Mathematics and a National Diploma in Chemical Engineering, but I have a passion for teaching. I see it as my calling. I have been in teaching, off and on, since 2007, but I don’t think a B.Ed holder in Mathematics will look me in the eyes and tell me he is a better teacher than I am. I will not accept it,” he added.
“What they pay the teachers is nothing to write home about. The money is very small compared to their workload. Before now, school owners in Abuja were paying N15,000 for NCE holders, N20,000 for B.Sc. This was before inflationary pressure forced them to have a rethink. Some of the schools now pay holders of B.Sc N30,000 a month, especially those who are not in the sciences.
“In the last school I taught, the owner paid N30,000, and she deducted N2,000 each from those monthly salaries until it accumulated to N30,000. This amount was kept for each other, and anytime they wanted to leave, they were required to give a month’s notice. It’s this N30,000 that would be given to him or her in full anytime they choose to walk away. But if a teacher chooses to leave without a month’s notice, the N2,000 deductions would be forfeited.
“But as a Science teacher, I earned twice what my counterparts in the Arts were earning. The money is not encouraging. But the standard schools pay as much as N70,000 to N80,000 a month,” he explained.
Unskilled teachers
Accoroding to the Mathematics teacher, “Most of the school owners prefer school certificate holders as teachers because they are comfortable with the little token they pay them. The graduates demand higher salaries. In most of the schools, the school certificate and NCE holders are more in number compared to graduates because it costs less to retain their services.
“In the last place I taught, the proprietor retained me because she was bent on having an SSCE/NECO centre accredited for her. One of the requirements for having this centre approved for you is that your teachers must be well-educated. You must have at least five or six B. Ed or BSc holders before a NECO centre will be approved for a school. When the officials came to inspect the place, we were the qualified teachers who stood in defence of the school. The NCE and SSCE holders stayed away.”
A teacher in one of the privately-owned schools in Jikwoyi, identified simply as Chidi, called on the FCTA education inspectorate department to take its job seriously, noting that some of the schools operating in the nation’s capital today have no business existing in the first instance.
He said, “Ultimately, it is the future of the young ones we are jeopardising by sharp practices happening in these so-called schools. I know a man who turned the three-bedroom flat built for him by his son in Lagos into a private school. He goes around telling gullible parents that God instructed him to start a school.
FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike
“Being an evangelist, it is understandable that people are listening to him. What shocked me more was that with time, some parents withdrew their children from their schools and enrolled them at the there-bedroom apartment turned school.”
Asked how the evangelist cum educationist is paying the teachers, he was temporarily lost for words before continuing, “That is the interesting part of the story. He brainwashed some young people in his church into believing that the school is God’s project. When he collects fees from the pupils, he pays the teachers. At times, he pays when his son sends him money. This is how the place is run.”
Speaking exclusively with The PUNCH, school proprietor, Mustapha Haruna, urged those with genuine interest in running schools to abide by due process and avoid cutting corners.
Haruna, who runs the Discovery International Academy, Suleja, Niger State, described education as the finest gift a nation can bequeath to the younger generation, stressing that anyone desirous of owning a school to build the lives of young minds must be prepared to go the whole distance.
Lamenting the influx of Nigerians into the system who have no training in school administration, Mr Haruna warned that if left unchecked, such a system may end up doing more harm than good.
In an interview with our correspondent, The Imiegba, Edo-born school proprietor said, “One needs to be passionate about education. It is not about making money. If you are making money and not impacting the lives of the pupils and students, you have not started, and you have no reason to remain in the system.”
For a country desirous of joining the league of advanced nations, education is a sector too significant to be left in the hands of unskilled men whose interest lies not in quality service delivery but in profit-making. From basic to secondary school education, the government, including federal, sub-national, and local, must take decisive steps to address the looming danger threatening the progress of the Nigerian state.
The Federal Government borrowed N2.69tn from the domestic bond market in the first quarter of 2026, as strong investor demand continued to drive subscriptions above offer levels despite tighter allotments, an analysis of Debt Management Office auction results has shown.
Data from the DMO for January, February, and March 2026 indicated that the total was raised through a combination of competitive and non-competitive allotments across the three months.
The figures showed that the government offered N2.45tn worth of bonds in the quarter, while investors submitted subscriptions totalling N5.88tn. Out of this, about 45.64 per cent was allotted, indicating that less than half of the total bids were accepted.
This also means that total subscriptions were about 240.14 per cent of the amount offered, reflecting a strong oversubscription level of more than two times the offer size. On a strictly competitive basis, the allotment ratio was slightly lower at about 43.42 per cent.
A year-on-year comparison showed that the government significantly increased its borrowing from the bond market. In the first quarter of 2025, total allotment stood at about N1.94tn, compared to N2.69tn in the same period of 2026, representing an increase of N750.08bn or 38.76 per cent.
Total subscriptions rose from N2.83tn in 2025 to N5.88tn in 2026, indicating a jump of N3.05tn or 107.71 per cent, while the amount offered increased from N1.10tn to N2.45tn.
Despite the stronger demand, the proportion of subscriptions accepted declined from about 68.32 per cent in the first quarter of 2025 to 45.64 per cent in 2026, suggesting a more cautious approach to borrowing.
A breakdown of the 2026 figures showed that the bulk of the borrowing occurred in January. In January 2026, the government offered N900bn and received subscriptions of N2.25tn, with total allotment, including non-competitive allotments, standing at N1.68tn. This represented about 74.37 per cent of subscriptions and about 186.16 per cent of the amount offered.
Compared to January 2025, when N601.04bn was allotted, the January 2026 figure was higher by N1.07tn, representing a 178.75 per cent increase. Subscriptions also rose significantly from N669.94bn in January 2025.
In February 2026, the government offered N800bn and recorded subscriptions of N2.70tn, the highest monthly subscription in the quarter. However, only N524.28bn was allotted.
This translated to a subscription rate of about 337.40 per cent, while only 19.42 per cent of bids were accepted, indicating a wide gap between investor demand and actual borrowing.
Year-on-year, February 2026 recorded stronger demand but lower borrowing compared to February 2025, when N910.39bn was allotted from subscriptions of N1.63tn. This represents a decline of N386.11bn or 42.41 per cent in allotment despite higher subscriptions.
In March 2026, the government offered N750bn, received subscriptions of N931.50bn, and allotted N485.50bn. This represented a subscription rate of about 124.20 per cent, with about 52.12 per cent of subscriptions accepted.
Compared to March 2025, when total allotment stood at N423.68bn, the March 2026 figure reflected an increase of N61.82bn or 14.59 per cent.
Month-on-month analysis showed that the offer size declined steadily from N900bn in January to N800bn in February and N750bn in March. However, subscriptions rose from N2.25tn in January to N2.70tn in February before dropping sharply to N931.50bn in March.
Similarly, total allotment fell from N1.68tn in January to N524.28bn in February and further to N485.50bn in March, indicating that borrowing was heavily concentrated in the first month of the quarter.
The auction results also showed that marginal rates declined significantly compared to the corresponding period of 2025, although there was a slight increase in March 2026.
In January 2026, marginal rates ranged between 17.50 per cent and 17.62 per cent, compared to between 21.79 per cent and 22.60 per cent in January 2025, indicating a sharp drop in borrowing costs.
In February 2026, rates declined further to a range of 15.50 per cent to 15.74 per cent, compared to about 19.20 per cent to 19.33 per cent in February 2025, showing a reduction of about 3.5 to 3.8 percentage points.
However, in March 2026, marginal rates rose slightly to between 16.00 per cent and 16.64 per cent. Despite this increase, rates remained below March 2025 levels, which ranged from 19.00 per cent to 19.99 per cent.
Overall, the data showed that while borrowing costs increased slightly towards the end of the quarter, they remained significantly lower than the levels recorded in the same period of 2025.
The trend suggests that the Federal Government benefited from improved market conditions and strong investor demand, even as it maintained a conservative stance on the volume of bids accepted during the period.
The PUNCH earlier reported that the Federal Government planned to raise N700bn from the domestic bond market in April 2026, extending a gradual reduction in offer size as it continues to navigate elevated borrowing costs.
Details from the April 2026 Federal Government of Nigeria Bond Offer Circular issued by the Debt Management Office showed that the auction is scheduled for April 27, with settlement on April 29.
The issuance will be executed through the re-opening of existing instruments across three maturities, a strategy aimed at improving liquidity in benchmark securities.
The PUNCH earlier reported that the Federal Government’s domestic borrowings from financial market operators rose sharply in 2025 despite high interest rates, widening the gap between public and private sector access to credit.
A renowned economist and Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, Dr Muda Yusuf, earlier warned that rising Federal Government borrowing from the domestic financial system is increasingly crowding out the private sector, as banks favour low-risk, high-yield government securities over lending to businesses.
“The increase in credit to the government can be attributed to a number of factors. The government has been raising money to finance the deficit. So this financing of the deficit has led to the issuance of bonds, treasury bills, and so on, which banks also buy. The rate is also very attractive, and it’s more attractive to them than lending to the real sector,” Yusuf said. He further urged the government to moderate its borrowing.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and economists have raised concerns over President Bola Tinubu’s request for Senate approval of a fresh $516m external loan to fund sections of the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway.
The President had written to the Senate seeking approval for a $516,333,070 external loan to finance parts of the 1,000-kilometre highway project, a flagship infrastructure initiative under his administration.
The request, addressed to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, was read during plenary on Thursday, formally triggering legislative consideration.
According to the President, the loan—expected to be sourced from Deutsche Bank—will support the construction of Sections 1, 1A, and 1B of the highway linking Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos states, stretching from Illela to Badagry.
Atiku, in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, acknowledged the importance of the project but warned against rising debt levels and weak transparency in borrowing decisions.
He said, “At a time when Nigeria is already groaning under the weight of unsustainable debt, the resort to yet another foreign loan—without transparent terms, clear cost-benefit analysis, and a credible repayment framework—raises profound questions about prudence and accountability.
“This is not a regional issue, nor should it be framed as one. The people of Northern Nigeria, like their counterparts across the country, deserve development that is sustainable, transparent, and not mortgaged against their future.
“What Nigerians expect is not just ambitious projects, but responsible financing. Development must not become a euphemism for deepening debt traps that generations yet unborn will be forced to repay.”
The former vice president further cautioned the National Assembly against approving the loan without rigorous scrutiny. “Nigeria must build, but Nigeria must not borrow blindly. Progress anchored on opacity and debt accumulation is neither progress nor leadership—it is postponement of crisis,” Atiku added.
Economists also expressed mixed reactions to the loan request, warning that Nigeria’s rising debt profile poses risks to fiscal sustainability, while others defended borrowing for infrastructure development.
Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the University of Uyo, Prof Akpan Ekpo, warned that Nigeria’s growing reliance on external borrowing is becoming a concern.
“The economy is getting too exposed to external debt, that’s my worry. The debt profile is rising alarmingly, and it’s worrisome and disturbing in the sense that we claim that we have almost reached our revenue target. Certainly, this windfall from oil revenues, what should it be used for?
“The windfall should go into infrastructure because when you keep borrowing, and we are not sure they have done enough cost analysis, whether the tolls they collect on the road will pay for it in the next nine years, it becomes a burden,” Ekpo said.
He added, “GDP does not pay debt, revenue pays debt, and our revenue profile is shaky. Most of our revenue comes from oil, which we do not control in terms of price or output, so it is an exogenous source. I worry that borrowing is getting too much, and there is no clear balance of contingency.”
Ekpo urged the government to explore alternatives such as Public-Private Partnerships, concessions, and Sukuk financing. “There are other options to build roads than borrowing. You can use Public-Private Partnerships, you can concession the road to private investors… The key issue is that we must retain more of the financing within the domestic economy so that it creates jobs and strengthens local capacity,” he said.
However, Chief Executive Officer of Economic Associates, Dr Ayo Teriba, supported the loan, saying it is appropriate for capital projects that generate long-term value.
“As the report noted, the loan is going to fund a capital project that has a life well beyond the loan. The superhighway will open up income opportunities, and repayment will come from the income it creates. I do not see any good president who will not take this kind of opportunity, especially at a 5.3 per cent interest rate, which is far better than the nine per cent we have been paying,” Teriba said.
He added, “Any capital project funded by debt will outlive the loan, so you are not passing net debt to future generations but assets that create opportunities.”
Teriba, however, criticised the exclusion of local banks and called for reforms to unlock domestic funding. “We have over N28tn trapped in CRR deposits earning zero interest. Why are Nigerian banks not part of these opportunities? It is time to rethink the CRR model… If properly structured, banks can deploy part of their sterilised liquidity into projects like this and earn returns while supporting national development,” he said.
President Tinubu had said the loan would finance Sections 1, 1A, and 1B of the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway, designed to improve connectivity, reduce travel time between Sokoto and Lagos, and boost economic integration across the corridor. The Senate has referred the request to the Committee on Local and Foreign Debts for further legislative scrutiny.
Crude oil supply from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s trading arm surged in April 2026, with shipment records indicating that more than 1.03 million metric tonnes, equivalent to about 6.8 million barrels or over 1.08 billion litres, were delivered to the Dangote Oil and Gas Company Limited within the month.
An analysis of tanker vessel movements obtained by The PUNCH on Tuesday shows that the deliveries were executed through eight crude cargoes handled by NNPC Trading, reinforcing the state oil firm’s role as a major feedstock supplier to the 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote refinery.
The shipments, sourced from key Nigerian crude streams including Anyala, Bonga, Odudu, Forcados, Qua Iboe, and Utapate, were routed through the refinery’s Single Point Mooring systems, SPM-C1 and SPM-C2.
The document shows that out of the eight cargoes, five have been fully discharged, while three others are still awaiting berthing or completion, indicating a steady pipeline of crude inflows into the refinery.
This development comes amid the refinery’s continued complaints of supply inadequacies, with a total requirement of 19 cargoes monthly, and a recent report that the country imported 55.39 million barrels in January and February 2026.
A breakdown of the deliveries showed that Sonangol Kalandula initiated the supply chain, delivering 123,000 metric tonnes of crude from Anyala. The vessel arrived on April 5, berthed on April 8, and sailed on April 9.
This was followed by Advantage Spring, which supplied 128,190 metric tonnes from Bonga, arriving on April 11 and completing discharge by April 13.
Similarly, a vessel code-named Barbarosa delivered 125,000 metric tonnes from Odudu, while Sonangol Njinga Mban transported 129,089 metric tonnes from Bonga.
Another completed shipment, handled by Nordic Tellus, brought in 139,066 metric tonnes from Forcados, completing discharge on April 17.
However, three additional cargoes remain in progress. Advantage Sun, carrying 142,327 metric tonnes from Bonga, has arrived but is yet to berth. Also pending are Advantage Spring from Utapate with 120,189 metric tonnes, and Sonangol Kalandula from Qua Iboe with 126,471 metric tonnes.
In total, the NNPC Trading cargoes account for 1,033,332 metric tonnes of crude, underscoring what industry analysts describe as a “strong and sustained supply commitment” to the Dangote refinery.
Further findings show that, beyond crude deliveries, the Dangote refinery also received multiple shipments of refined products and blending components from international markets during the period.
Among them, Seaways Lonsdale delivered 37,400 metric tonnes of blendstock gasoline from Immingham, United Kingdom, handled by Vitol, between April 18 and 19.
Another vessel, Augenstern, supplied 37,125 metric tonnes of Premium Motor Spirit from Lavera, France, discharging between April 8 and 9.
From Norway, Emma Grace brought in 37,496 metric tonnes of PMS from Mongstad, while LVM Aaron delivered 36,323 metric tonnes from Lome, Togo.
Similarly, Egret discharged 35,498 metric tonnes of naphtha from Rotterdam between April 16 and 18, providing critical feedstock for gasoline blending.
A pending shipment, Mont Blanc I, carrying 36,877 metric tonnes of blendstock gasoline from Antwerp, Belgium, is yet to berth, while Aesop is expected to deliver 130,000 metric tonnes of residue catalytic oil from Singapore later in April.
In addition to NNPC Trading volumes, other crude cargoes from international and domestic traders also supported refinery operations.
Notably, Yasa Hercules delivered 273,287 metric tonnes of crude from Corpus Christi, United States, while Front Orkla brought in 264,889 metric tonnes from Ingleside, US.
A major cargo, Navig8 Passion, supplied 496,330 metric tonnes of crude from Cameroon, highlighting regional supply integration.
Domestic contributions included Harmonic, which delivered nearly 993,240 barrels from Ugo Ocha, and Aura M, which supplied 1 million barrels from Escravos, alongside an additional 651,331 barrels of cargo from Anyala.
Operational data indicate that most vessels berthed within one to two days of arrival and departed shortly after discharge, suggesting improved efficiency at the refinery’s offshore terminals.
The Dangote refinery, located in Lekki, Lagos, is Africa’s largest single-train refinery, with a nameplate capacity of 650,000 barrels per day.
The facility is expected to significantly reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products by refining domestic crude and supplying petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, and other derivatives to the local market.
NNPC Limited, through its trading arm, has remained a central player in supplying crude to the refinery under evolving commercial arrangements, amid ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s downstream oil sector.
Earlier this month, Africa’s richest man and President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, revealed in a report by Bloomberg that the refinery received 10 cargoes of crude oil from the state-owned oil firm in March, compared to an average of about five cargoes monthly since late 2024.
Dangote said the shipments included six cargoes paid for in naira and four in dollars, under the crude supply arrangement between the refinery and the NNPC.
“Nigeria doubled crude supply to Dangote Refinery in March as Africa’s top oil producer moved to shore up fuel availability after the Iran war disrupted Middle East shipments. Last month, they gave us six cargoes with payments in naira and four cargoes with payments in dollars,” he stated.
