West Africa is gaining momentum as a regional refining and petroleum trading centre, driven largely by the growing influence of Nigeria’s Dangote Petroleum Refinery and broader efforts by governments to cut fuel imports and expand export capacity.
A new report by energy intelligence firm Argus Media says the 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote refinery has reshaped fuel supply patterns across the sub-region, significantly reducing dependence on imported refined products and altering long-standing trade routes.
Since petrol production began at the refinery in September 2024, Nigeria has recorded a steep decline in fuel imports.
Once the largest gasoline importer in West Africa, the country’s net petrol imports dropped sharply to about 40,000 barrels per day in September 2025, compared with more than 330,000 barrels per day a year earlier, according to data from commodities tracker Kpler cited in the report.
At the same time, Nigeria has strengthened its role as a supplier of refined products to neighbouring countries. Net exports of middle distillates such as diesel and jet fuel climbed to a record 145,000 barrels per day in July, up from 82,000 barrels per day earlier in the year.
The country has largely remained a net exporter of these products since May 2024.
Argus Media noted that increased output from Dangote refinery has contributed to a broader decline in fuel imports across West Africa.
Year-to-date figures show petrol imports into the region fell by about a quarter to 337,000 barrels per day. Jet fuel imports dropped to roughly 4,000 barrels per day, the lowest level since records began in 2016, while diesel imports declined to a five-year low of 162,000 barrels per day.
The report described the Dangote refinery as a major force transforming regional fuel market dynamics, adding that it has remained resilient despite undergoing several maintenance periods. It also noted that the facility still has room to expand its share of Nigeria’s domestic petrol market in the coming year.
In contrast, Nigeria’s state-owned refineries continue to struggle. Operations at the Port Harcourt refinery resumed late in 2024 but were suspended again by May 2025, while the Warri refinery briefly restarted in December 2024 before shutting down the following month, highlighting ongoing challenges in rehabilitating long-idle assets.
Beyond Nigeria, other West African countries are also taking steps to expand refining capacity.
Angola has begun operations at its 30,000 barrels-per-day Cabinda refinery, which focuses on diesel and jet fuel for local consumption, a move expected to cut middle distillate imports. In Ghana, efforts are ongoing to revive the 45,000 barrels-per-day Tema Oil Refinery, alongside intermittent operations by private refiners.
Argus Media noted that while new large-scale refinery projects across the region face long timelines, existing and near-complete facilities will remain critical to West Africa’s ambition of becoming a stronger player in the downstream oil market.
The report concluded that developments in 2026 will largely depend on how well operating refineries perform, with the Dangote refinery expected to remain central to the region’s refining and export growth.
