Africa’s top oil producer, Nigeria, is set to begin exports of a new crude grade known as Cawthorne as part of efforts to raise production and sustain recent output gains.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited said the light, sweet grade will be exported from the third week of March, adding to the country’s existing crude streams.
An NNPC spokesperson said the launch forms part of broader measures to stabilise production that has long been constrained by unrest and crude theft.
The company added that the introduction follows two other new grades brought to market since 2024.
Cawthorne crude has an API gravity of 36.4, placing it in the same category as Bonny Light, one of Nigeria’s best known export streams valued for its high fuel and diesel yields.
The similarity in quality is expected to make it attractive to refiners seeking light, low sulphur feedstock.
A trader familiar with the matter stated that NNPC issued a tender for Cawthorne cargoes scheduled for loading later in March.Nigeria is already producing close to its quota under the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+).
Official OPEC data shows the country pumped 1.48 million bdp in January against a quota of 1.5 million bdp.
The addition of Cawthorne is therefore positioned to help Nigeria edge closer to, or potentially maintain output near, its allocated ceiling.
Why Cawthorne crude matters to Nigeria’s output
The new grade is expected to be exported through the Floating Storage and Offloading vessel (FSO) Cawthorne. The vessel has a storage capacity of 2.2 million barrels and is designed to support crude evacuation from Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18 and nearby fields in the Eastern Niger Delta.
By relying on the FSO system, NNPC aims to improve transportation logistics in a region historically affected by pipeline disruptions and operational setbacks. Hence, offshore storage and direct loading are intended to reduce bottlenecks tied to onshore infrastructure.
Data from Kpler indicates that storage limits on the vessel could lift Nigeria’s crude and condensate supply from around 1.65 million bdp to about 1.7 million bdp for the remainder of the year. This projected increase would strengthen the country’s overall export volumes if sustained.
Nigeria has struggled in recent years to maintain stable output due to ageing facilities, vandalism and underinvestment. However, gradual recovery has been observed as security operations intensified and some upstream projects resumed.
Other new grades added to Nigeria’s export slate include Utapate in 2024 and Obodo in 2025. The steady introduction of fresh streams forms part of a broader attempt to diversify export blends and maximise value from different reservoirs.
Nigeria’s position within OPEC+
Nigeria remains one of Africa’s largest crude producers and a key member of the oil bloc, OPEC+. The group sets production targets aimed at balancing global oil supply and supporting prices.
While the country has often fallen below its quota in previous years, recent recovery efforts have narrowed the gap between actual output and assigned limits. Therefore, any additional barrels from Cawthorne must align with OPEC+ production frameworks.
At the same time, Nigeria has been among members seeking a higher production baseline within the group. Higher capacity would allow the country to generate more revenue, particularly as oil remains central to federal earnings and foreign exchange inflows.
Simply put, the launch of Cawthorne crude provides another channel for boosting exports while strengthening operational flexibility in the Niger Delta.
