Nigeria has achieved a milestone in its oil and gas sector, recording petrol exports worth N371.54 billion in the second quarter of 2025.
This development, driven by the commencement of operations at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, marks the country’s first shipment of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in its export records after decades of import dependence.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reveals that petrol exports contributed 1.63 percent to Nigeria’s total exports in Q2 2025.
For decades, PMS dominated Nigeria’s import bills but was absent from the export ledger due to the dormancy of government-owned refineries.
With Dangote Refinery now online, analysts say this breakthrough could signal a long-term shift in Nigeria’s energy balance.
Regional and Global Spread of Petrol Exports
The NBS figures showed that of the total N371.54 billion petrol exports, only N85.83 billion (23.1 percent) went to Africa.
All shipments within Africa were directed to West African markets, particularly those under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Meanwhile, a larger share—76.9 percent of petrol exports—was shipped outside Africa, with Asia and the Middle East emerging as key destinations.
This trend underlines the refinery’s ability to compete in international markets where demand for PMS remains strong.
Globally, petrol became Nigeria’s ninth-largest export in Q2 2025. Within West Africa, it ranked fifth overall and fourth within ECOWAS, reflecting its growing importance in regional energy trade.
Imports Still Overshadow Petrol Exports
Despite the progress, Nigeria continues to rely heavily on imports to meet domestic fuel demand. NBS data shows that petrol imports stood at N2.38 trillion in Q2 2025.
Although this was a 45.56 percent drop compared to N4.36 trillion in the same quarter of 2024, imports still outweighed exports by nearly 6.4 times.
Compared to Q1 2025, when imports totaled N1.76 trillion, there was a 34.89 percent quarter-on-quarter increase.
Cumulatively, the country imported N4.14 trillion worth of petrol in H1 2025, down from N8.18 trillion in H1 2024, signaling a 49.41 percent reduction year-on-year.
Analysts suggest that as the Dangote Refinery expands output, petrol exports will gradually increase while import dependence declines, potentially stabilizing Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves.
Dangote Refinery’s Role in Driving Petrol Exports
Confirming the figures, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, disclosed that the refinery exported about 1.35 billion litres of petrol—equivalent to one million tonnes—between June and July 2025.
“From June to date, we have exported about one million tonnes of PMS within just 50 days,” Dangote stated at the Global Commodity Insights Conference on West African Refined Fuel Markets, hosted by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in partnership with S&P Global.
He also noted that beyond petrol exports, the refinery has shipped aviation fuel to Europe and Saudi Arabia, underscoring its capacity to diversify product offerings.
S&P Global confirmed that gasoline exports from the refinery surged to 90,000 barrels per day in June 2025, reaching markets in Oman, Singapore, and Malaysia.
However, output was limited in the early months due to maintenance on the catalytic cracking unit.
Balancing Local Supply and Export Drive
Under a naira-for-crude swap deal with the Nigerian government, the refinery is required to allocate significant volumes of refined products to the domestic market.
This obligation is intended to safeguard local energy security and prevent the export drive from undermining national supply.
Dangote dismissed claims of monopolizing the downstream sector, stressing that his company’s investments are aimed at boosting Nigeria’s energy independence.
“Too many people with the means to contribute prefer to criticise from the sidelines while investing abroad. Our focus is to build energy independence for Nigeria and Africa,” he said.
Nigeria’s Energy Trade Outlook
The NMDPRA has highlighted that West African countries, including Nigeria, still import about 69 percent of their petrol needs.
With regional demand averaging 2.05 million metric tonnes monthly, most of it sourced overseas, petrol exports from Nigeria offer new opportunities to fill supply gaps within the sub-region.
The United States has also emerged as a promising buyer.
Industry data shows that the U.S. imported about 630,000 barrels per day of petroleum in Q2 2025, with Nigerian products already entering the market due to compliance with quality standards.
President Bola Tinubu has described the refinery’s success as a step toward reshaping Africa’s position in global energy markets.
Writing on his official X handle, Tinubu stressed that Africa can no longer remain a price taker, calling for transparent benchmarks that reflect regional realities and protect local economies.
Analysts Weigh In
Industry experts believe the rise of petrol exports will strengthen Nigeria’s role as West Africa’s energy hub, improve foreign exchange earnings, and gradually reduce the burden of fuel subsidies and import costs.
However, they caution that sustaining the momentum will require stable refinery operations, transparent regulation, and stronger infrastructure for distribution.
For Nigeria, the journey toward balancing domestic supply with a competitive global export strategy has only just begun.
The historic entry of petrol exports into the nation’s trade statistics underscores the transformative impact of local refining capacity and the potential to redefine Africa’s place in the global energy supply chain.
