By Abubakar Yunusa
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) says seaborne petroleum product exports from Nigeria have grown seven-fold since 2023, as increased output from the Dangote refinery boosts regional fuel trade flows.
In a statement on Monday, the agency said seaborne petroleum product shipments from Nigeria averaged 561,000 barrels per day (b/d) in the second quarter (Q2) of 2026, compared with an annual average of 79,000 b/d in 2023.
“Seaborne petroleum product exports from Nigeria have grown seven-fold since 2023, playing an increasing role in the international market for petroleum products at a time when supplies from other areas have been constrained,” the agency said.
“Underpinned by the opening of the Dangote refinery in January 2024, seaborne petroleum product shipments from Nigeria averaged 561,000 barrels per day (b/d) in the second quarter of 2026 (2Q26), compared with an annual average of 79,000 b/d in 2023, according to data from Vortexa.
“Of those shipments, 350,000 b/d were exported in 2Q26, compared with an annual average of 46,000 b/d in 2023.”
The US energy agency said with the increased supply of petroleum products in Nigeria “from the country’s largest refinery, imports fell, exports increased, and Nigeria became more self-sufficient in refined petroleum products”.
According to the EIA, before the Dangote refinery was commissioned, Nigeria’s existing state-owned refineries shipped less than 100,000 b/d of seaborne petroleum products to various parts of the country and other countries.
The agency said shipments expanded notably on two occasions — first after the Dangote refinery began operations and again after the completion of maintenance and expansion works in February 2026.
The second increase, the EIA said, coincided with supply constraints from the Strait of Hormuz.
The agency said maintenance completed at the Dangote refinery in February increased its crude oil distillation capacity from 650,000 b/d to 700,000 b/d.
“With higher runs at Dangote and product trade through the Strait of Hormuz disrupted, total shipments of petroleum products (intra-Nigerian and exports) increased,” the EIA said.
“Intra-Nigerian shipments climbed to 211,000 b/d in 2Q26, up from 81,000 b/d in 2025 and 33,000 b/d in 2023. By shipping petroleum products to other parts of Nigeria, Dangote decreased Nigeria’s reliance on imports.
“Nigeria imported nearly 400,000 b/d of petroleum products in 2023, and seaborne imports fell to less than 130,000 b/d in 2Q26.”
According to Vortexa data cited by the EIA, Nigeria’s seaborne petroleum product exports to Europe averaged 130,000 b/d in Q2 2026 — up from 40,000 b/d in 2025 and 15,000 b/d in 2023.
The EIA added that exports to other African countries also increased, reaching nearly 120,000 b/d in Q2 2026, compared with 89,000 b/d in 2025.
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