Engine oil is a class of engine lubricant formulated from base oil and other enhancement additives such as anti-wear additives, detergents, dispersants and viscosity index improvers, particularly used in multi-grade engine oils.

1. Functions of engine oil

The primary function of engine oil in cars engines is to reduce degree of friction or wear between moving engine parts. Its secondary function is to clean out sludge deposits in the engine. In addition to providing protection to the engine, engine oils also neutralize acidic deposits from the combustion of fuel and the oxidation of lubricants. It also cools the engine by carrying heat away from its moving parts. Further down in this article, we will discuss the prices of engine oils in Nigeria.

The primary function of engine oil is to reduce degree of friction or wear between moving engine parts

2. Types of engine oil

Based on different categorisations, we have a variety of engine oil. However, there are two broad types of engine oil. These include:

2.1. Engine oil types by Formulation

• Synthetic engine oils

Synthetic engine oils are chemically engineered engine oils to which high performance additives having been added to improve overall performance. Synthetic engine oils are characterized by more uniformly shaped molecules which help them to achieve higher performance than conventional engine oils. They also contain minute level of impurities.

• Mileage engine oils

This type of engine oil usually comes under the market tag “high mileage” engine oils. These are specially formulated oils for car engines that are either of older models or newer model cars with high mileage of at least 60,000 miles on them. They are characterized by the presence of special additives in them which help to reduce oil leaks and burn offs which are common in older cars.

• Semi-synthetic engine oils

Semi-synthetic engine oils are simply a blended mixture of synthetic and conventional engine oils. The primary aim of this oil type is to reduce oxidation rate of the oil and to produce better performance at low temperatures. They are also a cheaper option to synthetic engine oils.

• Conventional engine oils

Conventional engine oils are the most common type of engine oils in the market. They are commonly used in car engines with simple designs. They are also available in different viscosities.

 All of the above oil types can also be available in different viscosities otherwise known as SAE oil grades.

>>> Have you ever wondered? Synthetic or conventional oil: Which suits your car better?

2.2. Engine oil types by Viscosity

• Single grade viscosity engine oils e.g. SAE30, SAE40.
• Multi-grade viscosity engine oils e.g. 0W-20, 5W-30

Either single grade or multi-grade engine oils could be synthetic, mileage, semi-synthetic or conventional types of engine oil if classified according to their formulation.

All engine oil types is available in different viscosities otherwise known as SAE oil grades

3. Engine oil price in Nigeria and where to buy

One can buy original engine oil at most company owned fuelling stations across the country. If you are interested in buying a Mobil brand of engine oil, you can easily walk into any Mobil fuelling station for it. Same thing goes for other popular brands such as Total engine oils and Forte engine oils. One advantage of buying from these stations is that you’re sure that you are getting an original product.

All brands of engine oils are also available in ample supply at popular spare parts markets such as Ladipo, mechanic villages and in oil dealers’ shops in Nigeria.

Lastly, if you are one with flair for online shopping, you can readily order any brand of engine oil from online stores such as Jumia, Konga or Jiji. The price lists below detail prices of engine oils in Nigeria. Note that the list below is only a guide for buying engine oils in Nigeria. The pricing may vary at different distributors.

3.1. Price of Mobil engine oil in Nigeria

The table below details the prices of various Mobil engine oil products that are available in the Nigerian market. However, it is important to note that this table is intended to serve as a buying guide as prices could slightly vary owing to location.

Engine oil products are available at popular Ladipo spare-part market, mechanic villages and oil dealers

3.2. Price of Total engine oil in Nigeria

The table below details the prices of various Total engine oils that are available in the Nigeria. However, it is important to note that this table is intended to serve as a buying guide as prices could slightly vary owing to location.

3.3. Price of Castrol engine oil in Nigeria

The table below details the prices of various Castrol engine oils that are available in the Nigeria. However, it is important to note that this table is intended to serve as a buying guide as prices could slightly vary owing to location.

>>> Another brand of engine oil you may buy: Oando engine oil in Nigeria - Available products, Prices and Reviews

4. Notes when buying engine oil in Nigeria

Changing the oil in your car may seem as easy as walking into a store and picking a gallon of engine oil for your needed oil change. But before you pick just any engine oil for your car, you should remember that there is something called oil specification and oil grade which is very unique for virtually all types of vehicles.

The easiest way to find out what oil spec or grade has been recommended for your vehicle is to check your owner’s manual. If for any reason you could not extract this information from your vehicle owner’s manual, the next place you can get this information from is the oil cap of your engine oil compartment.

Popular multi-grade engine oils include: 0W-20, 0W-30, 5W-30, 5W-40, and 10W-30, or 10W-40

Amongst popular SAE oil grades that are often recommended for Toyota cars and other popular brands of automobiles driven in Nigeria are multi-grades such as 0W-20, 0W-30, 5W-30, 5W-40, and 10W-30, or 10W-40.

While most car manufacturers will not specifically tell you to use either synthetic or conventional engine oil, they always specify the recommended SAE engine oil grade for every vehicle. SAE oil grade is the internationally accepted oil grade as stipulated by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). The onus then lies on you to be aware of your recommended oil grade and avoid buying just any oil grade for your car especially after reading this informative post on prices of engine oil in Nigeria.

>>> Check for more car buying tips and car maintenance advice on Naijacarnews.com!