The Dangote Petroleum refinery has begun exporting Premium Motor Spirit, selling approximately 1.35 billion litres of petrol to other countries worldwide in the past 50 days.
President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, disclosed this at the ongoing Global Commodity Insights Conference on West African Refined Fuel Markets hosted by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority in partnership with S&P Global Insights.
According to Dangote, between June and July 2025, the refinery exported up to 1 million tonnes of petrol, being approximately 1.35 billion litres when converted.
“Today, Nigeria has actually become a net exporter of refined products. Before I came on the podium, I asked my people how many tonnes of PMS we have actually exported. From June beginning to date, we have exported about 1 million tonnes of PMS, within the last 50 days,” he said.
However, despite the Dangote refinery’s export drive, Nigeria still relies heavily on fuel imports. According to the NMDPRA, Nigeria and other West African countries still import nearly 69 per cent of their gasoline supply from overseas markets.
NMDPRA’s Chief Executive, Farouk Ahmed, disclosed this at the same conference, saying that statistical data for 2025 indicates that an average of 2.05 million metric tonnes of gasoline is traded monthly in the region, with 69 per cent being imported.
In fact, in the last eight days, a total of 231.881 million litres of PMS have been imported into the country, findings by The PUNCH have shown. According to the latest Shipping Position Daily by the Nigerian Ports Authority, these products came through various terminals in Nigeria, including Apapa, Tincan, and Calabar Ports.
The report stated that the total volume of PMS imports within the period under review was 172,917 metric tonnes. And one metric tonne of PMS is made of about 1,341 litres. When multiplied by 172,917 metric tonnes by 1,341 litres, it amounts to 231.88 million litres imported within the period under review.
Dangote’s export drive has not been without its challenges. The refinery has faced allegations of planning to monopolise the downstream sector, but Dangote has denied these claims.
“Let me take this opportunity to address concerns around monopoly and dominance. The reality is that 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,” Dangote said.
President Bola Tinubu has also weighed in on the issue, saying that Africa must end its role as a passive price taker in the global energy market and begin to shape its pricing, trade, and regulatory structures to reflect its production realities better.
“Africa can no longer remain a price taker for its resources. It is time to establish credible, transparent benchmarks that reflect our realities and protect our economies,” Tinubu said in a post on his official X handle.
According to Tinubu, Nigeria is working with regional partners to build an integrated market that would reward African production, secure energy access for local populations, and deepen cross-border prosperity.
“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,” the president stated.
The NMDPRA is also working to develop a regional pricing benchmark for West Africa. Ahmed said that the authority is working closely with S&P Global Commodity Insights to develop price indices for refined petroleum products, including Premium Motor Spirit, Automotive Gasoil, Aviation Turbine Kerosene, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas.
The proposed regional benchmark will promote market confidence, attract more investment in storage and supply infrastructure, and ensure real-time price visibility for operators across the fuel value chain.
“We are committed to building a transparent, data-driven market that reflects the true cost and value of fuel within West Africa,” Ahmed concluded.
