NNPC Ltd Unveils New Crude Grade, Ships 950,000 Barrels To Netherlands

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has commenced the export of a new crude oil grade, Cawthorne, in a move aimed at boosting Nigeria’s crude output and strengthening its footprint in the global oil market.

The national oil company disclosed on Tuesday that the maiden cargo of the new blend was successfully shipped to Europe, signalling what industry observers describe as a renewed push to diversify Nigeria’s crude export streams and improve revenue generation.

In a statement, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, Andy Odeh, said the first cargo of the Cawthorne blend was lifted on April 5, 2026, aboard the MT Eburones vessel en route to the Netherlands.

The statement read, “The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has commenced export of its new crude grade, Cawthorne, marking a significant milestone in the company’s drive to increase Nigeria’s crude oil production and expand its portfolio of globally competitive export streams.

“Cawthorne blend crude, the latest addition to Nigeria’s basket of crude grades, has an API gravity of 36.4, placing it firmly within the light, sweet category, comparable to Bonny Light, and highly valued in the global market for its superior petrol and diesel yields.

“NNPC Ltd confirms that on Sunday, April 5, 2026, the Cawthorne blend crude, which was loaded on the MT Eburones vessel, is headed to the Netherlands and onward to the global market.”

Odeh noted that the maiden cargo, estimated at 950,000 barrels, was exported through the Cawthorne Floating Storage and Offloading vessel located offshore Bonny, Rivers State.

“The cargo was exported via the Cawthorne Floating Storage and Offloading vessel, which is strategically located offshore Bonny.

“The facility enhances crude evacuation from OML 18 and strengthens Nigeria’s export reliability, operational efficiency, and overall energy security”, he said.

The new crude grade, with an API gravity of 36.4, falls within the light, sweet category, making it attractive to international refiners due to its high yield of premium products such as petrol and diesel.

This places Cawthorne in the same league as Nigeria’s flagship Bonny Light crude, which is widely sought after in global markets.

The development comes as Nigeria intensifies efforts to ramp up crude production and meet ambitious national targets, including three million barrels per day of oil and 12 billion cubic feet per day of gas by 2030.

NNPC said the introduction of the Cawthorne blend is part of a broader strategy to unlock value from its asset base, expand market offerings, and reinforce Nigeria’s competitiveness in the international oil market.

The company noted that the new grade builds on recent additions such as Nembe and Utapate, reflecting a structured effort to optimise production and diversify export options.

Commenting on the development, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Bayo Ojulari, said the milestone reflects the company’s shift towards commercial efficiency and value creation.

“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,” he said.

Ojulari added, “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 also commended the Federal Government’s reform agenda and collaboration among key stakeholders, including OML 18 partners and regulators, in achieving the milestone.

NNPC reiterated its commitment to leveraging innovation, partnerships, and operational discipline to maximise the value of Nigeria’s hydrocarbon resources while ensuring long-term energy security.

Nigeria has in recent years struggled with declining crude oil production due to challenges such as oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and underinvestment in upstream operations.

To address this, the Federal Government and NNPC have introduced reforms and partnerships aimed at boosting output and improving efficiency across the value chain.

NNPC

The introduction of the Cawthorne crude comes months after the country last added new export grades to its crude slate, reflecting a gradual but deliberate effort to expand its offerings in the international market.

The most recent additions before Cawthorne were Nembe crude, introduced around 2023, and Utapate crude, which entered the market in 2024. These followed a relatively long period during which Nigeria’s crude oil exports were dominated by established grades such as Bonny Light, Qua Iboe, Forcados, and Escravos.

Expanding the country’s crude slate could help Nigeria remain competitive amid shifting global energy dynamics and increasing demand for cleaner, high-quality crude blends.

Pope Leo Tells World Leaders Trump, Putin, Other To Lay Down Weapons

World leaders. For centuries, the Church has joyfully sung of the event that is the origin and foundation of her faith: “Yes, Christ my hope is arisen / Christ indeed from death is risen / Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning” (Easter Sequence).

Easter is the victory of life over death, of light over darkness, of love over hatred. It is a victory that came at a very high price: Christ, the Son of the living God (cf. Mt 16:16), had to die — and die on a cross — after suffering an unjust condemnation, being mocked and tortured, and shedding all his blood. As the true immolated Lamb, he took upon himself the sin of the world (cf. Jn 1:29; 1 Pet 1:18–19) and thus freed us all — and with us, all creation — from the dominion of evil.

But how was Jesus able to be victorious? What is the strength with which he defeated once and for all the ancient adversary, the prince of this world (cf. Jn 12:31)? What is the power with which he rose from the dead, not returning to his former life, but entering into eternal life and thus opening in his own flesh the passage from this world to the Father?

This strength, this power, is God himself for he is Love who creates and generates, Love who is faithful to the end and Love who forgives and redeems.

Christ, our “victorious King,” fought and won his battle through trusting abandonment to the Father’s will, to his plan of salvation (cf. Mt 26:42). Thus he walked the path of dialogue to the very end, not in words but in deeds: to find us who were lost, he became flesh; to free us who were slaves, he became a slave; to give life to us mortals, he allowed himself to be killed on the cross.

The power with which Christ rose is entirely nonviolent. It is like that of a grain of wheat which, having rotted in the earth, grows, breaks through the clods, sprouts, and becomes a golden ear of wheat. It is even more like that of a human heart which, wounded by an offense, rejects the instinct for revenge and, filled with compassion, prays for the one who has committed the offense.

Brothers and sisters, this is the true strength that brings peace to humanity, because it fosters respectful relationships at every level: among individuals, families, social groups, and nations. It does not seek private interests, but the common good; it does not seek to impose its own plan, but to help design and carry out a plan together with others.

Yes, Christ’s resurrection is the beginning of a new humanity; it is the entrance into the true promised land, where justice, freedom, and peace reign, where all recognize one another as brothers and sisters, children of the same Father who is Love, Life, and Light.

Brothers and sisters, through his resurrection, the Lord confronts us even more powerfully with the dramatic reality of our freedom. Before the empty tomb, we can be filled with hope and wonder, like the disciples, or with fear like the guards and the Pharisees, forced to resort to lies and subterfuge rather than acknowledge that the one who had been condemned is truly risen (cf. Mt 28:11–15)!

In the light of Easter, let us allow ourselves to be amazed by Christ! Let us allow our hearts to be transformed by his immense love for us! Let those who have weapons lay them down! Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace! Not a peace imposed by force, but through dialogue! Not with the desire to dominate others, but to encounter them!

We are growing accustomed to violence, resigning ourselves to it, and becoming indifferent. Indifferent to the deaths of thousands of people. Indifferent to the repercussions of hatred and division that conflicts sow. Indifferent to the economic and social consequences they produce, which we all feel. There is an ever-increasing “globalisation of indifference,” to borrow an expression dear to Pope Francis, who one year ago from this loggia addressed his final words to the world, reminding us: “What a great thirst for death, for killing, we witness each day in the many conflicts raging in different parts of the world!” (Urbi et Orbi Message, 20 April 2025).

The cross of Christ always reminds us of the suffering and pain that surround death and the agony it entails. We are all afraid of death, and out of fear we turn away, preferring not to look. We cannot continue to be indifferent! And we cannot resign ourselves to evil! Saint Augustine teaches: “If you fear death, love the resurrection!” (Sermon 124, 4). Let us too love the resurrection, which reminds us that evil is not the last word, because it has been defeated by the Risen One.

Pope Leo

He passed through death to give us life and peace: “I leave you peace; I give you my peace. Not as the world gives it, I give it to you” (Jn 14:27). The peace that Jesus gives us is not merely the silence of weapons, but the peace that touches and transforms the heart of each one of us! Let us allow ourselves to be transformed by the peace of Christ! Let us make heard the cry for peace that springs from our hearts! For this reason, I invite everyone to join me in a prayer vigil for peace that we will celebrate here in Saint Peter’s Basilica next Saturday, April 11.

On this day of celebration, let us abandon every desire for conflict, domination, and power, and implore the Lord to grant his peace to a world ravaged by wars and marked by a hatred and indifference that make us feel powerless in the face of evil.

To the Lord we entrust all hearts that suffer and await the true peace that only he can give. Let us entrust ourselves to him and open our hearts to him! He is the only one who makes all things new (cf. Rev 21:5).

Happy Easter!

NAF, German Technical Advisory Group Strengthen Advanced Medical Training, Professional Development

German technical advisory group. In a strong demonstration of the Nigerian Air Force’s commitment to human capital development and mission readiness under the leadership of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, the Nigerian Air Force School of Medical Sciences and Aviation Medicine (NAFSMSAM) has intensified efforts to build a more skilled and leadership-driven Non-Commissioned Officer cadre. On Tuesday, 24 March 2026, the Commandant, Air Vice Marshal AC Ekpe, inaugurated an advanced upgrading course at Headquarters NAFSMSAM, Kaduna.

The four-week intensive programme is designed to equip Non-Commissioned Officers with the requisite professional competencies required for progression to senior non-commissioned responsibilities, while also sharpening their leadership, supervisory, and service delivery capabilities. In his charge, the Commandant urged participants to remain disciplined, focused, and fully committed, stressing that outstanding performance during the course would remain pivotal to their professional advancement.

In a related high-impact development, NAFSMSAM, in collaboration with German Technical Advisory Group, also conducted the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) Course Selection Exercise at the Air Mobile First Aid Unit. The Commandant, represented by the Deputy Commandant, Air Commodore AJ Arumona, noted that the three-day exercise was carefully structured to assess participants’ medical knowledge, physical fitness, resilience, and teamwork, critical competencies for operational emergency response.

This strategic partnership with the German Technical Advisory Group not only reflects the Nigerian Air Force’s growing emphasis on international cooperation and global best practices, but also significantly enhances its emergency medical preparedness architecture. Successful participants will proceed for the NAEMT course in May 2026 and subsequently undergo further development toward certification as instructors, thereby multiplying the Service’s specialist medical response capacity.

Beyond technical and operational training, the School also advanced the Chief of the Air Staff’s people-centric leadership philosophy through initiatives aimed at strengthening unity and personnel welfare.

German Technical Advisory Group

In this regard, the Commandant received the visiting Director of Islamic Affairs, Headquarters Nigerian Air Force, Group Captain H Idris, in an engagement focused on fostering cohesion and obtaining feedback on the services rendered by Imams and Assistant Imams across the Air Training Command and co-located units in Kaduna.

The visit underscores the Nigerian Air Force’s holistic approach to force development, one that combines professional excellence, international partnerships, and moral support systems to sustain a highly motivated, cohesive, and operationally effective force.