Nigeria makes history with first indigenous onshore crude export terminal in 50 years

In a landmark development for Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, Green Energy International Limited (GEIL), operator of the Otakikpo field, has successfully completed the first crude oil export from the newly constructed Otakikpo terminal, the country’s first indigenous onshore crude export facility in over five decades.

The inaugural export took place over the weekend, when the off-taker vessel MV by Shell lifted the maiden cargo at 14:00 hours. 

This marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s energy infrastructure and affirms the operational readiness of the terminal, developed entirely by a Nigerian company.

Chairman of GEIL, Prof. Anthony Adegbulugbe, expressed gratitude to God, the company’s all-Nigerian workforce, and the regulatory agencies for their support throughout the project. 

“This achievement reflects the resilience and technical competence of our indigenous team, and we are proud to have delivered this project ahead of schedule,” he said in a statement issued to newsmen.

The Otakikpo terminal boasts a storage capacity of 750,000 barrels, with plans to expand to 3 million barrels. It also features a 360,000 barrels-per-day pumping capacity, positioning it as one of Nigeria’s most significant energy infrastructure undertakings to date.

Built in under two years with an initial investment of over $400 million and a projected full-phase development cost of $1.3 billion, the terminal stands out as the first privately developed crude oil export terminal by an African operator.

With an injection capacity of up to 250,000 barrels per day, the terminal is expected to become a strategic hub for third-party producers, especially more than 40 nearby stranded fields estimated to hold over 3 billion barrels of oil equivalent (BOE).

Energy analysts have hailed the project as a game-changer for Nigeria’s oil sector. The terminal is expected to drive increased production and reduce reliance on offshore terminals, while enhancing Nigeria’s attractiveness to global investors amid rising demand for African crude.

As Nigeria advances toward modernizing its energy infrastructure, the Otakikpo terminal represents a significant step in delivering homegrown solutions that align with global standards and sustainable development goals.