Nigeria’s seaborne petroleum product shipments have risen seven-fold since 2023, driven largely by increased production from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, according to the latest report by the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA).
The EIA said 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 recorded in 2023.
The agency attributed the sharp increase largely to the commencement of operations at the Dangote Refinery in January 2024, noting that rising output from the facility has strengthened Nigeria’s position in the international refined petroleum products market.
Data from energy intelligence firm Vortexa cited by the EIA showed that about 350,000 bpd of the 561,000 bpd shipped in the second quarter of 2026 were exports, compared with an annual average of 46,000 bpd in 2023.
The EIA said increased domestic refining has also reduced Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products while improving availability of refined products within the country.
“With increased supply of petroleum products from the country’s largest refinery, imports fell, exports increased, and Nigeria became more self-sufficient in refined petroleum products,” the agency said.
Before the Dangote Refinery commenced operations, Nigeria’s state-owned refineries collectively shipped less than 100,000 bpd of petroleum products for domestic and international markets.
According to the EIA, shipments increased substantially after the Dangote refinery began operations and received another boost following maintenance and expansion works completed in February 2026.
The expansion increased the refinery’s crude distillation capacity from 650,000 bpd to 700,000 bpd, enabling it to produce more refined petroleum products for domestic consumption and export.
The EIA said total petroleum product shipments were further supported by supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz, which increased demand for alternative sources of refined products.
Within Nigeria, seaborne petroleum product shipments rose to 211,000 bpd in the second quarter of 2026, up from 81,000 bpd in 2025 and 33,000 bpd in 2023.
The development reflects the growing role of the Dangote Refinery in supplying petroleum products to different parts of the country and reducing reliance on imported fuels.
Nigeria, which imported nearly 400,000 bpd of petroleum products in 2023, saw seaborne imports fall to less than 130,000 bpd by the second quarter of 2026, the EIA reported.
The agency also highlighted the growing international demand for Nigerian refined products. Vortexa data showed that exports to Europe averaged 130,000 bpd during the second quarter of 2026, compared with 40,000 bpd in 2025 and just 15,000 bpd in 2023.
The EIA report underscores the increasing importance of the Dangote Refinery to Nigeria’s energy security, domestic fuel supply and emergence as an exporter of refined petroleum products.
Meanwhile, the Dangote Refinery has announced plans to add another 700,000 bpd of fully complex refining capacity by the end of 2028.
The planned expansion would be in addition to its current capacity of about 700,000 bpd, potentially increasing the refinery’s total capacity to approximately 1.4 million bpd.
The refinery’s Chief Executive Officer, David Bird, said long-lead equipment for the expansion had already been procured, while construction contracts were being awarded.
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