Nigeria’s seaborne petroleum product exports have increased seven-fold since 2023, with the Dangote Petroleum Refinery emerging as a major driver of the surge, according to a new report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
The development highlights the growing impact of the 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote refinery on Nigeria’s position in the regional and international petroleum products market.
The refinery, located in Lagos, has significantly increased domestic refining capacity while also supplying refined petroleum products for export. Its expanding operations have helped reshape Nigeria’s petroleum trade, which was previously heavily dependent on imported refined fuels.
The EIA report points to the refinery’s growing contribution to Nigeria’s seaborne exports of products such as gasoline, diesel and other refined fuels.
The surge marks a significant shift in Nigeria’s downstream oil sector as the country moves from relying largely on imported petroleum products toward becoming a more prominent exporter of refined fuels.
With the Dangote refinery continuing to expand its production and export activities, Nigeria’s role in the global refined petroleum market is expected to grow further.
