Dangote Refinery makes Nigeria a net petrol exporter for the first time
Dangote Refinery makes Nigeria a net petrol exporter for the first time. The Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals exported 44,000 barrels per day of petrol in March 2026, outpacing domestic imports and producing a surplus of roughly 3,000 barrels per day. It is the first time in Nigeria's history that Africa's largest oil producer has crossed into net exporter territory on refined fuel.
Nigeria's petrol imports collapsed, with March imports at 41,000 barrels per day, the lowest level ever recorded according to Kpler. The Dangote Refinery shipped a 317,000-barrel petrol cargo to Mozambique in March, its first delivery to East Africa. Dangote credited the policy environment under President Bola Tinubu's administration for creating the conditions that made large-scale domestic refining viable, including reforms that restored investor confidence in the energy sector. The 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery received about 565,000 barrels per day of crude in March, the second-highest intake since it began operations in late 2023.
A follow-up cargo is scheduled to arrive in Beira in April, reflecting growing appetite from East African buyers who are moving away from Middle East supply amid ongoing geopolitical disruptions. Analysts say the export milestone should strengthen Nigeria's external balance by pulling in foreign exchange earnings and easing pressure on the naira.
Quick Summary
For decades, Nigeria has been exporting crude oil while importing refined products- a practice that has drained foreign exchange. Aliko Dangote's refinery is changing the equation, but the implications of this shift are far-reaching.
Summary - read the full story for complete context.

Image: MyJoyOnline
GhanaFront aggregates news from trusted sources. Click to read the original article.
Keywords
Explore related tagsMore from MyJoyOnline
Related Stories
More from Business & Economy

Ghana's top 10 Non-Traditional Exports skyrocket to $3.28bn
Ghana's non-traditional exports are booming- but which sectors are leading the charge, and why?
3h ago•3 min read









