Nigeria's Fuel Exports Soar Seven-Fold as Dangote Refinery Reshapes Trade

Nigeria's seaborne petroleum product exports have grown seven-fold since 2023, driven by the Dangote refinery, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Shipments averaged 561,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the second quarter of 2026, up from an annual average of 79,000 bpd in 2023. Of those, 350,000 bpd were exported during the quarter, compared with 46,000 bpd in 2023.

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery, located in the Lekki Free Zone near Lagos, began operations in 2024 and is Nigeria's largest. Its increased output has made the country more self-sufficient in refined products, reducing imports and boosting exports.

Exports expanded further after the refinery completed maintenance and expansion in February 2026, which raised its crude distillation capacity from 650,000 bpd to 700,000 bpd. This coincided with supply constraints from the Strait of Hormuz.

Intra-Nigerian shipments rose to 211,000 bpd in Q2 2026, up from 81,000 bpd in 2025 and 33,000 bpd in 2023. Exports to Europe climbed to 130,000 bpd from 40,000 bpd in 2025, while shipments to Africa reached nearly 120,000 bpd, up from 89,000 bpd a year earlier.

Meanwhile, Nigeria's seaborne imports of petroleum products fell to less than 130,000 bpd in Q2 2026, down from nearly 400,000 bpd in 2023.