The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has achieved a major milestone by exporting approximately 1.35 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) within the last 50 days, positioning Nigeria as a net exporter of refined petroleum products for the first time in decades.

This was disclosed by the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, at the Global Commodity Insights Conference on West African Refined Fuel Markets, organised by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in collaboration with S&P Global Insights.
“From the beginning of June to date, we have exported about 1 million tonnes of PMS, equivalent to 1.35 billion litres. This marks a historic turnaround for Nigeria in refined products,” Dangote stated.
Despite Dangote’s export breakthrough, Nigeria remains heavily reliant on imported fuel. According to NMDPRA’s Chief Executive, Farouk Ahmed, West African nations, including Nigeria, still import 69% of their gasoline supply.
Data from the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) revealed that in just eight days, Nigeria imported 231.88 million litres of petrol through Apapa, Tincan, and Calabar ports. This was derived from 172,917 metric tonnes of PMS shipped into the country, highlighting the nation’s lingering dependence on foreign supplies despite local refining capacity.
Ahmed explained that an average of 2.05 million metric tonnes of gasoline is traded monthly across West Africa, with a significant portion still sourced from global markets, especially Europe and Asia.
The refinery’s growing export profile has raised concerns among some downstream operators about potential market dominance. However, Dangote dismissed these fears, stressing that his refinery’s objective is to contribute to Nigeria’s energy security and not to monopolise the market.

“Too many people criticise from the sidelines while investing their wealth abroad. Our aim is to create jobs, stabilise fuel supply, and make Nigeria self-sufficient in refined products, not to dominate the market,” Dangote stated.
Reacting to developments in the sector, President Bola Tinubu emphasised that Africa must stop being a price taker in the global energy market.
“Africa can no longer remain a passive player in global energy pricing. Nigeria is working with regional partners to establish credible benchmarks that reflect our realities and reward African production,” Tinubu said via his official X (formerly Twitter) handle.
The President noted that Nigeria is building an integrated regional energy market that prioritises local production, energy access for Africans, and cross-border trade prosperity.
In line with Tinubu’s vision, NMDPRA revealed ongoing collaboration with S&P Global Commodity Insights to establish West Africa’s first refined petroleum pricing benchmark.
The planned benchmark will cover PMS, Automotive Gasoil (diesel), Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK), and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). Ahmed stated that this will boost market transparency, attract investments, and reduce reliance on foreign pricing models like Platts and Argus.
“We are building a data-driven market where prices reflect actual West African realities rather than global market distortions,” Ahmed added.
The 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Refinery, which began operations in early 2024, is expected to fully meet Nigeria’s domestic fuel needs and export surplus to regional markets. Industry experts believe that the refinery’s exports will grow further as production stabilises and distribution challenges are resolved.
However, analysts caution that policy clarity, deregulation, and market competition will determine whether Nigeria can fully transition from being a net fuel importer to an energy self-sufficient economy.