The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has emerged as the major driver of a seven-fold increase in Nigeria’s seaborne petroleum product exports since 2023, according to the latest report by the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA).
The U.S. agency said Nigeria’s seaborne petroleum product shipments averaged 561,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the second quarter of 2026, representing a significant increase from the annual average of 79,000 bpd recorded in 2023.
According to the EIA, the surge in exports has strengthened Nigeria’s position in the international petroleum products market at a time when supplies from several other regions have experienced constraints.
The agency attributed the increase largely to the commencement of operations at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in January 2024.
However, the report was coming a day after the factsheet from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) indicated that Dangote fuel supply to the domestic market dropped significantly.
Supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly called petroleum by Dangote Petrochemical Refinery to the local market dropped by 21 per cent to 25.8 million litres per day in July.
