The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has shipped its first cargo of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to the United States, even as Nigerian marketers continue to import large volumes of fuel.
Data from S&P Global show that a vessel, Gemini Pearl, departed Lekki Port on August 26 with about 300,000 barrels of petrol bound for New York and New Jersey, where it is expected to arrive on September 12.
The export marks the refinery’s entry into the US market, following earlier sales to African, Middle Eastern, and Asian buyers.
Despite this milestone, fuel imports still dominate Nigeria’s domestic supply.
Figures from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) indicate that of the 1.48 billion litres of petrol distributed in June, only 455 million litres came from Dangote, while more than one billion litres were imported. A similar trend was recorded in May.
Diesel and aviation fuel also rely heavily on imports, with local refineries supplying less than half of national demand.
At full capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, the Dangote refinery is capable of producing about 210,000 bpd of petrol—close to, but still below, Nigeria’s estimated daily consumption of 300,000 bpd.
Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group, says the refinery was designed to make Nigeria self-sufficient and turn the country into a net exporter of petroleum products.
He has urged the government to implement a “Nigeria First” policy to protect local refiners from what he calls unfair competition, including the dumping of subsidised or substandard fuels.
“We are now facing increased dumping of cheap, often toxic petroleum products that would never be allowed in Europe or North America,” Dangote warned, arguing that such practices threaten investments in domestic refining.
Fuel marketers, however, say their decisions are driven by price.
Billy Gillis-Harry, President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), said importation remains an option if it offers better margins.
“If buying from the Dangote refinery gives importers a better deal, they will buy.
“But if not, they are free to import from any source, provided quality is not compromised,” he said.
Since starting petrol production in September 2024, Dangote has exported over 1.35 billion litres of PMS, positioning Nigeria for the first time in decades as a net exporter of refined products.
Yet, with marketers still dependent on foreign supplies, the refinery’s dominance in the local market remains uncertain even as its global footprint expands.
