By Micah Jonah, February 24, 2026
Nigeria’s state oil company, NNPC, will begin exporting a new light, sweet crude grade named Cawthorne in March, aimed at boosting the country’s crude output.
Cawthorne has an API gravity of 36.4, making it similar in quality to Bonny Light, valued for high gasoline and diesel yields. The crude will be exported via the Floating Storage and Offloading vessel Cawthorne, with a 2.2 million-barrel capacity, lifting Nigeria’s crude and condensate supply from 1.65 million barrels per day (bpd) to around 1.7 million bpd.
The launch is part of Nigeria’s broader effort to increase production after years of disruptions caused by unrest and crude theft. This follows the introduction of two other new grades in recent years: Utapate in 2024 and Obodo in 2025.
Nigeria, already pumping near its OPEC quota of 1.5 million bpd, is seeking higher output targets within the producer group. Analysts expect Cawthorne’s introduction to strengthen both transportation and production from Oil Mining Lease 18 and surrounding assets in the Eastern Niger Delta.
