United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) has said Nigeria’s seaborne petroleum product exports increased sevenfold since 2023, largely driven by rising output from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
Gatekeepers News reports that according to EIA in an analysis published on Monday, Nigeria’s seaborne petroleum product shipments averaged 561,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the second quarter of 2026, compared with an annual average of 79,000 bpd in 2023.
Of the 561,000 bpd shipped in the second quarter, about 350,000 bpd were exported, compared with an annual average of 46,000 bpd in 2023.
The EIA said the increase followed the commencement of operations at the Dangote refinery in January 2024, which boosted the domestic supply of refined petroleum products, reduced imports and created more volumes for export.
The refinery’s impact increased further after maintenance and expansion work completed in February 2026 raised its crude oil distillation capacity from 650,000 bpd to 700,000 bpd.
The EIA also attributed part of the rise in petroleum shipments to supply disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, which created opportunities for Nigerian refined products in international markets.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s seaborne petroleum product exports to Europe averaged 130,000 bpd in the second quarter of 2026, up from 40,000 bpd in 2025 and 15,000 bpd in 2023.
Exports to other African countries also increased, reaching nearly 120,000 bpd in the second quarter, compared with 89,000 bpd in 2025.
At the domestic level, intra-Nigerian petroleum shipments rose to 211,000 bpd in the second quarter of 2026, from 81,000 bpd in 2025 and 33,000 bpd in 2023.
The EIA said Nigeria’s seaborne petroleum product imports also fell from nearly 400,000 bpd in 2023 to less than 130,000 bpd in the second quarter of 2026, indicating reduced dependence on imported refined products.
Dangote Group has announced plans to further expand the refinery by adding a second 750,000-bpd crude oil distillation unit by 2028, which would potentially double its refining capacity.
