Nigeria has reportedly emerged as the key supplier of crude oil to Senegal’s 30,000-barrels-per-day Dakar Refinery, despite Senegal’s entry into the league of oil-producing nations last year.
Naijaonpoint reports that industry data showed that the Dakar refinery, designed to process lighter, sweeter crude, cannot handle Senegal’s own Sangomar crude, a medium-sour grade (31° API, 1.0% sulphur).
Instead, the plant has turned to Nigeria’s Erha crude (36° API, 0.2% sulphur), which perfectly matches its configuration.
“Senegal’s 30 kbd Dakar refinery, configured to process lighter, sweeter crudes, is currently running on Nigeria’s Erha crude… imports into Dakar are averaging 30 kbd in recent months,” Energy analyst Kpler said in a report.
Naijaonpoint recalls that Senegal began oil production in mid-2024 at the Sangomar field, which currently pumps around 100,000 barrels per day.
Almost all of this crude is exported to Europe, with Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands receiving the bulk of shipments.
Experts say the crude’s heavier, more sulphurous composition makes it unsuitable for the Dakar refinery unless blended with lighter grades. This has left Nigeria’s Erha crude as a lifeline for Senegal’s only processing facility.
Senegal Still Dependent on Imports
Despite Nigeria’s role in sustaining its refinery, Senegal continues to rely heavily on imports of refined fuels to meet local demand.
Between 2024 and 2025, the country imported between 90,000 and 100,000 barrels per day of refined products.
The Kpler report noted that Russia accounted for 50–60 per cent of these imports, mostly gasoil, diesel, and fuel oil.
“To fully meet domestic product demand, Senegal relies heavily on refined imports, particularly from Russia,” the report said, highlighting the paradox of an oil-exporting nation still dependent on foreign supplies.
With Phase 2 of the Sangomar project under review, involving 33 new wells and a tentative 2027 start-up, Senegal’s output is expected to remain steady at about 100,000 barrels per day in the near term.
This means Nigeria’s Erha crude and Russian refined fuels will continue to serve as the backbone of Senegal’s domestic energy balance.
Meanwhile, Nigerian refiners have also raised concerns about inadequate crude supply.
The Dangote Refinery recently disclosed that it has had to rely more on U.S. crude cargoes to sustain its daily fuel production, underscoring broader challenges in the West African oil market.
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