Nigeria continued to import petrol despite the growing output of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, while the facility shipped part of its production to other West African markets, according to a report by Argus Media.
The report showed that Nigeria imported an average of 78,000 barrels per day of petrol between April and August 2026, as domestic consumption exceeded the refinery’s average production during the period.
Nigeria’s petrol consumption averaged 279,000 barrels per day, compared with Dangote Refinery’s output of 258,000 barrels per day, highlighting the gap between local demand and the facility’s production.
However, the refinery exported some of its petrol when overseas markets offered favourable trading opportunities, even as imported supplies continued to supplement domestic availability.
The refinery’s fuel deliveries to West Africa reached a record 172,000 barrels per day in September, up from 152,000 barrels per day in August, according to data from commodity analytics firm Kpler cited in the report.
Petrol accounted for 62,000 barrels per day of the September shipments, while diesel and gasoil deliveries totalled 57,000 barrels per day. Jet fuel contributed 36,000 barrels per day, with other refined petroleum products making up the remaining 17,000 barrels per day.
The shipments covered markets across the region, extending from Senegal to Angola, reflecting the refinery’s expanding role in regional fuel supply.
Despite the increase in deliveries from Nigeria, West Africa imported 516,000 barrels per day of refined petroleum products from suppliers outside the region in September. This was the second-lowest monthly volume recorded since the end of 2017.
Supplies from the European Union, the United Kingdom and Norway fell to a five-month low of 282,000 barrels per day.
The report also linked the refinery’s growing product supply to increased crude oil deliveries to its Lekki facility. Crude receipts reached an average of 665,000 barrels per day in September, surpassing the previous record of 660,000 barrels per day recorded in June.
Production figures for other fuels showed a stronger domestic surplus. Data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority indicated that Dangote Refinery produced an average of 130,000 barrels per day of diesel between April and August, against domestic consumption of 98,000 barrels per day.
Jet fuel production also substantially exceeded local demand, averaging 136,000 barrels per day compared with consumption of 16,000 barrels per day.
These surpluses provided room for the refinery to supply international markets, unlike petrol, where Nigerian consumption remained above the facility’s average output.
The figures highlight the different supply dynamics facing Nigeria’s fuel market, with petrol imports still needed to supplement domestic production even as the country increases exports of refined products to neighbouring markets.
