The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has commenced large-scale exports of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), having supplied an estimated 1.35 billion litres of petrol to various international markets in the last 50 days.
This development marks a significant milestone for Nigeria’s refining capabilities and its ambition to become a key player in the global fuel trade.
Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, made the announcement at the ongoing Global Commodity Insights Conference on West African Refined Fuel Markets, organized by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in collaboration with S&P Global Insights. He noted that the exports amounted to about one million tonnes of petrol between June and July 2025.
“Today, Nigeria has actually become a net exporter of refined products,” Dangote stated. “From June beginning to date, we have exported about 1 million tonnes of PMS, within the last 50 days.”
Despite the refinery’s export achievement, Nigeria remains largely dependent on imported fuel to meet domestic demand. According to the NMDPRA, Nigeria and other West African nations still rely on overseas sources for nearly 69 percent of their gasoline supply, with an average of 2.05 million metric tonnes traded in the region each month.
Recent import data further highlights this dependence. In just the past eight days, Nigeria imported 231.88 million litres of petrol through major seaports such as Apapa, Tincan, and Calabar. This volume, equivalent to 172,917 metric tonnes, underscores the country’s ongoing struggle to reduce fuel importation.
Addressing criticism over fears of monopolistic practices, Dangote rejected claims that his refinery seeks to dominate the downstream sector. “Too many people who have the means and the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to our nation’s growth choose instead to criticise from the sidelines while investing their wealth abroad,” he argued.
President Bola Tinubu also added his voice to the discourse, stressing the need for Africa to shed its passive role in the energy market. He advocated for a more assertive stance in shaping pricing, trade, and regulation frameworks that reflect local realities. “Africa can no longer remain a price taker for its resources,” Tinubu declared on his official X page.
Tinubu further revealed that Nigeria is working with its neighbors to create a unified energy market. “From refining to regulation, data transparency to trade flows, Nigeria is working with regional partners to build an integrated market that rewards our production, secures energy for our people, and deepens prosperity across borders,” he said.
Meanwhile, the NMDPRA is collaborating with S&P Global Commodity Insights to establish regional benchmarks for petroleum product pricing. The agency’s chief executive, Farouk Ahmed, said the initiative will improve investor confidence, increase infrastructure development, and provide accurate real-time price tracking across the West African fuel market.
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