TUE MAR 31 2026-theGBJournal| Nigeria has recorded a milestone in its oil export trajectory with the first shipment of sweet Cawthorne crude to India, marking a significant expansion into new international markets.
The cargo, totaling 950,000 barrels, was lifted on Monday aboard the FSO Cawthorne vessel, a 2.2 million-barrel capacity Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO0 vessel, signaling renewed momentum for the country’s upstream sector.
The FSO Cawthorne serves as a vital offshore production support asset, handling crude output from OML 18 and adjacent producing fields. Operated by NNPC, the block encompasses key assets such as the Awoba and Buguma fields, reinforcing its strategic importance within Nigeria’s oil production landscape.
Dr. Toni Etomi, Head of Commercial and Planning at Asharami, a Sahara Group upstream company, described the lifting as a defining moment not only for the FSO Cawthorne asset but also for the OML 18 partnership and Nigeria’s broader oil and gas industry.
The development underscores growing confidence in the country’s capacity to deliver competitive crude grades to global buyers.
A spokesperson for NNPC confirmed the vessel’s destination as India, highlighting the country’s increasing role as a major buyer of Nigerian crude.
The export comes as Nigeria sustains output of about 1.4 million barrels per day, still below its estimated 2.2 million b/d capacity due to persistent challenges including underinvestment and crude theft.
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