Upper-ocean turbulent mixing processes are known to play a key role in controlling the sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Atlantic. Here, a synoptic observational data set of upper-ocean turbulent mixing at the equator (+/- 1.5°) at 23°W is provided. The data set contains an average and 151 individual vertical profiles of the dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy from the upper water column collected during 6 cruises between 2008 and 2016. The observations were selected to best represent a seasonal average of upper-ocean turbulent mixing. Each cruise was completed in a different month of the year. More than 1/3 of the profiles were collected in March when the cold tongue is absent (cruise R/V L'Atalante IFM-GEOMAR-4, doi: 10.3289/ifm-geomar_rep_19_2008). Profiles from May (R/V Meteor M106, doi:10.2312/cr_m106) and September (RV Meteor cruise M119, doi:10.2312/cr_m119 and R/V Meteor cruise M130, doi:10.3289/CR_M130) may be considered as representing the development and mature phase of the cold tongue season and profiles from November (R/V Meteor cruise M80/1 doi:10.2312/cr_m80_1, R/V Maria S. Merian cruise 22, doi:10.2312/cr_msm22) represent the post cold tongue condition. The data set includes a mean dissipation rate profile for the stratificed ocean below the mixed layer. Prior to averaging in depth space, the depth of the mixed layer was removed from the individual pressure records. The data set is provided for evaluating vertical mixing schemes of NextGEMS and other Earth system models.