Nigeria’s oil giant, NNPC Limited, has kicked off exports of its newest crude grade, Cawthorne, in a bold move to ramp up production and diversify its global offerings.
This light, sweet crude, with a 36.4 API gravity, rivals top-tier grades like Bonny Light, prized worldwide for its high petrol and diesel yields.
On Sunday, April 5, 2026, the first 950,000-barrel cargo loaded onto the MT Eburones vessel and set sail for the Netherlands, as confirmed in a press release by NNPC’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh.
Sourced from the Cawthorne Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) unit offshore Bonny in Rivers State, the shipment boosts evacuation from OML 18.
It bolsters Nigeria’s export reliability, operational efficiency, and energy security on the global stage.
“The introduction of Cawthorne to the international market underscores NNPC Ltd’s deliberate strategy to unlock value from its asset base, deepen market competitiveness, and support the Presidential mandate of scaling crude oil production to three million barrels per day and gas output to 12 billion cubic feet per day by 2030,” the statement discloses.
The launch of the Cawthorne grade, it reveals, builds on recent additions such as Nembe and Utapate, reflecting a sustained and structured approach by NNPC Ltd to optimise production, expand market offerings, and reinforce Nigeria’s position in the global crude oil market.
Commenting on the development, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policy direction and sector reforms and the tremendous collaboration shown by OML 18 partners, the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and other stakeholders towards achieving the milestone.
Stressing that NNPC Ltd is focused on deepening partnerships, strengthening operational discipline and deploying innovative solutions to ensure sustainable growth and energy security for the nation, Ojulari also reaffirmed the Company’s commitment to disciplined execution and value delivery.
“This milestone reflects the direction we have set for NNPC Limited, one anchored on execution, partnership, and value creation. We are moving decisively from resource potential to resource monetisation, ensuring that every asset delivers measurable commercial outcomes.
The successful export of the Cawthorne crude grade is not an isolated achievement; it is part of a broader, deliberate strategy to grow production, deepen market relevance, and strengthen Nigeria’s position as a reliable global energy supplier. We remain firmly focused on delivering sustainable growth in line with national objectives and global market expectations,” he added.
NNPC Limited will continue to leverage innovation, strategic partnerships, and operational discipline to unlock the full value of Nigeria’s hydrocarbon resources while ensuring Nigeria’s long-term energy security and economic growth, the statement concluded.
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