Nigeria’s importation of petrol has plunged to its lowest level in about eight years, as local production from the Dangote Refinery begins to displace foreign supplies.
According to a Bloomberg report citing data from energy analytics firm Vortexa Ltd, Nigeria imported an average of 110,000 barrels per day (bpd) of petrol between January 1 and 24, 2025. This marks a significant drop from previous years, when daily imports often exceeded 200,000 bpd and occasionally surged past 400,000 bpd.
Analysts attribute the decline to increased output from the $20 billion Dangote Refinery, which is gradually scaling up operations. Though not yet at full capacity, the refinery is already reshaping regional fuel supply patterns and reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuel.
Samantha Hartke, an analyst at Vortexa, said: “A large part of the slowdown in Nigeria’s gasoline imports is due to the ramp-up of the Dangote refinery. Northwest Europe will have to find alternative homes for its gasoline supplies.”
The Lagos-based refinery, with a projected capacity of 650,000 bpd, is the largest in Africa and Europe. Experts say its growing influence is disrupting global oil trade and forcing some European refiners out of the Nigerian market.
