Nigeria’s position as Africa’s largest lubricants market, estimated at 553.40 million litres in 2024 and projected to reach 597.33 million litres by 2026, presents significant opportunities for formulators. However, success demands more than transplanting formulations from other markets. Nigeria’s unique operating environment—tropical temperatures, variable fuel quality, dusty conditions, and diverse equipment—requires careful formulation strategies balancing performance, cost, and local realities.
Understanding Nigeria’s Operating Environment
Climate and Temperature Impact
Nigeria’s tropical climate significantly influences formulation requirements. Ambient temperatures frequently exceed 35°C, with equipment operating temperatures reaching even higher levels. High temperatures accelerate lubricant degradation—the Arrhenius equation shows chemical reaction rates approximately double for every 10°C increase. Nigerian lubricants experience oxidative stress equivalent to much longer service intervals in temperate regions.
Formulators must select base oils with inherent oxidation stability and incorporate robust antioxidant packages.
Fuel Quality and TBN Requirements
Diesel fuel sulphur content in Nigeria, while regulated, varies significantly across supply sources and regions. This variability directly affects the requirements for diesel engine oil Total Base Number (TBN). Nigerian diesel engine oils typically require TBN levels of 10-15 mg KOH/g, higher than specifications in ultra-low-sulphur diesel markets, to neutralize acidic combustion byproducts while avoiding excessive alkalinity that could cause deposits.
Gasoline quality variations also influence passenger car motor oil formulation, necessitating robust detergency packages and enhanced deposit control chemistries.
Dust and Contamination
Nigeria’s dusty environment, particularly during the dry Harmattan season, poses significant challenge to contamination control. Fine airborne particles bypass air filtration systems, entering engines where they accelerate abrasive wear. This influences dispersant selection, detergent balance, and wear protection strategies. Dispersants must keep contaminant particles suspended to prevent agglomeration.
Group I to Group II Transition: Technical Implications
Base Oil Properties Comparison
The Nigerian market is transitioning from Group I to Group II base oils. Understanding technical differences is essential for successful formulation.
Viscosity Index (VI): Group II base oils exhibit VI of 95-110 versus 80-120 for Group I (most falling in 90-100 range). Higher VI provides better viscosity stability across temperature ranges, reducing high-temperature viscosity loss and improving low-temperature fluidity.
Oxidation Stability: Group II demonstrates significantly superior oxidation resistance due to hydroprocessing that saturates aromatics and removes sulphur/nitrogen compounds. RPVOT tests show Group II oils typically achieve 2-3 times longer oxidation induction times than comparable Group I.
Volatility: Group II exhibits lower NOACK volatility than Group I of equivalent viscosity, translating to reduced oil consumption—particularly important in Nigeria’s high-temperature environment.
Solvency: Group I oils possess higher solvency due to aromatic content. Group II’s paraffinic nature requires more careful additive selection to ensure proper solubility and stability.
Formulation Adjustments for Group II
Transitioning to Group II necessitates systematic reformulation:
Viscosity Modifiers: Group II’s improved VI allows reduced VM treat rates. A 10W-40 formulation might require 8-12% VM with Group I but only 5-8% with Group II, lowering costs and improving shear stability.
Dispersant Architecture: Group II’s lower solvency requires careful dispersant selection. Higher molecular weight PIBSI dispersants often show improved performance versus lower MW dispersants adequate in Group I.
Detergent Balance: Group II formulations often benefit from 0.5-1.0% higher detergent treat rates to maintain equivalent deposit control and TBN delivery.
Antioxidant Optimisation: Despite Group II’s inherent oxidation resistance, additive protection remains critical. However, antioxidant treat rates can often reduce 15-25% while maintaining equivalent stability.
Heavy-Duty Diesel Engine Oil Formulation
API Service Classifications
Nigeria’s diesel equipment ranges from modern Euro IV/V trucks to older technology vehicles, necessitating a portfolio approach.
API CK-4 Formulations: Modern engines require CK-4 performance with exceptional oxidation stability, wear protection, and soot handling. A typical formulation includes:
• Base Oil: Group II or II+ (70-85%)
• Dispersant: 6-9% (high MW PIBSI)
• Detergent: 3-5% (Ca/Mg sulfonate)
• ZDDP: 0.8-1.2% (0.10-0.12% phosphorus)
• Antioxidants: 0.8-1.2% (phenolic/aminic)
• Pour Point Depressant: 0.1-0.3%
• VM: As required for target grade
Overhead view of traffic congestion by public buses in Lagos, Nigeria.
SOURCE | SHUTTERSTOCK/SANTOS AKHILELE ABURIME
API CH-4/CI-4 Formulations: Older technology engines are adequately served by CH-4/CI-4 levels. Transitioning these to Group II base oils is particularly cost-effective—total additive treat rates can reduce from 13-14% (Group I) to 11-12% (Group II) while maintaining or improving performance.
TBN Guidelines for Nigerian Fuels
• Heavy-Duty Highway (API CK-4): TBN 10-12 mg KOH/g
• Off-Highway Construction/Mining: TBN 11-13 mg KOH/g
• Older Technology Engines: TBN 10-15 mg KOH/g
Field trials under Nigerian conditions are essential to validate TBN adequacy and optimize detergent composition.
Passenger Car Motor Oil Formulation
Meeting Multiple OEM Specifications
Nigeria’s diverse vehicle population—European, Asian, American, and Chinese manufacturers—creates formulation challenges with different OEM requirements.
European Specifications: Many newer vehicles require ACEA C3 or C2/C3 low-SAPS performance for DPF and catalyst protection. ACEA C3 5W-40 has emerged as a popular grade providing broad application coverage.
Asian OEM Requirements: Japanese and Korean manufacturers typically specify ILSAC GF-5 or GF-6 for gasoline engines, emphasizing fuel economy with stringent phosphorus and sulphur limits.
General Service Products: For older vehicles, API SN or SP provides appropriate performance with cost optimization opportunities.
Viscosity Grade Selection
Nigeria’s climate influences optimal grade selection. While 5W-30 and 0W-20 are increasingly common globally, Nigeria’s high ambient temperatures make 10W-40 and 15W-40 more practical for most applications.
10W-40 and 15W-40: Provide adequate low-temperature performance while offering robust high-temperature protection. Particularly appropriate for older vehicles, high-mileage engines, and applications tolerating some oil consumption.
5W-30 and 5W-40: Newer vehicles with tighter bearing clearances benefit from these grades. Group II base oils are advantageous here—superior VI and lower volatility maintain adequate viscosity at operating temperatures despite lower starting viscosity.
Conclusion
Successful Nigerian lubricant formulation requires a sophisticated understanding of operating conditions, equipment types, fuel quality, regulatory requirements, and economic realities. The Group I to Group II transition presents challenges and opportunities for formulators willing to invest in understanding technical implications and market dynamics.
Group II base oils offer compelling advantages—superior oxidation stability, improved viscosity characteristics, lower volatility—particularly valuable in Nigeria’s demanding environment. However, these benefits require careful formulation accounting for solvency differences, additive compatibility, and cost-performance optimization.
Formulators and marketers succeeding in Nigeria’s evolving market will combine global technical expertise with local market knowledge, maintaining quality and performance while remaining sensitive to cost pressures and market-specific requirements. As Africa’s largest lubricants market continues to grow and mature, Nigeria represents both a significant opportunity and an important proving ground for lubricant technologies appropriate to Africa’s broader needs. .
About the Author
Shahab Mossavat is a journalist with extensive experience in emerging markets. This article was prepared in collaboration with Gapuma’s technical team. Gapuma is the appointed distributor for Chevron Oronite additives in Nigeria (since 2020) and Chevron Group II base oils (since 2025). For more information, contact www.gapuma.com.