By Ahmed Yusuf, FCT

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) is set to commence exports of a new light, sweet crude grade known as Cawthorne in March 2026, marking another milestone in Nigeria’s ongoing recovery of crude oil production.

According to a company spokesperson, the new crude grade will be exported for the first time in the third week of March.

Industry analysts say this move represents part of Nigeria’s broader strategy to boost production, which has been hampered for years by pipeline vandalism, crude theft, and operational challenges.

Cawthorne crude, with an API gravity of 36.4, falls into the light, sweet category similar to Bonny Light, a highly sought-after blend known for its high petrol and diesel yields.

Sources revealed that NNPC has already issued a tender for March 24–25 loading of the new grade. Exports are expected to be handled through the Cawthorne Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) facility, which has a storage capacity of 2.2 million barrels.

Energy intelligence firm Kpler noted that the Cawthorne FSO was designed to enhance crude evacuation and production from Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18 and nearby assets in the Eastern Niger Delta.

Kpler further estimated that the addition of Cawthorne crude could raise Nigeria’s combined crude and condensate output from approximately 1.65 million barrels per day (bpd) to around 1.7 million bpd over the rest of the year.

Nigeria’s current OPEC+ quota stands at 1.5 million bpd, with the country’s January output reported at 1.48 million bpd, according to official OPEC data.

The introduction of Cawthorne follows the launch of other new grades such as Obodo (in 2025) and Utapate (in 2024), as NNPC continues its push to diversify crude streams and stabilize production across its portfolio.

Analysts believe the launch reinforces Nigeria’s ambition to reclaim its leading role within OPEC and attract new buyers in the global oil market.