The Dangote Refinery has hit a major milestone by exporting up to 1 million tons of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, as it expands its fuel supply beyond Africa.
This development marks a new chapter for Nigeria’s oil industry, with the country now recognized as a net exporter of refined petroleum products.
Africa’s richest man and President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, made the announcement on Tuesday at the Global Commodity Insights Conference on West African Refined Fuel Markets.
The event was organized by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in partnership with S&P Global Insights.
As reported by The Punch, Dangote revealed, “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.”
This export achievement adds to the growing reputation of the $19 billion, 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote Refinery.
Since it began exporting gasoline in 2024, shipments had mainly gone to West Africa.
But in June 2025, the refinery took a significant leap by sending 90,000 metric tons of petrol to Asia, its first gasoline export outside the continent. The shipment was loaded by global trading firm Mercuria on June 22.
Earlier in April, the refinery had shipped low-sulfur straight-run fuel oil (LSSR) to Singapore, signaling a deliberate move to enter the Asian fuel market.
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Beyond petrol, the refinery is making notable strides in jet fuel exports. It has successfully delivered two consignments to Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil company, and shipped about 1.7 million barrels of jet fuel to ports in the United States using six separate vessels.
These accomplishments highlight the refinery’s growing competitiveness in the international energy landscape.
The refinery’s expansion has begun to challenge long-standing global trade patterns.
In January 2025, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) reported that Dangote’s fuel exports were starting to disrupt Europe’s refined fuel market.
For years, European countries made an estimated $17 billion annually from gasoline exports to Africa.
Industry experts now warn that the Dangote Refinery’s rising presence could significantly reduce or even halt that trade.
As of April 2025, the refinery’s capacity surpassed that of the top 10 largest plants in Europe, further emphasizing its global impact.
On the supply side, the refinery is also working toward complete reliance on Nigerian crude oil.
Devakumar Edwin, Vice President of Dangote Industries, stated that by the end of 2025, the refinery aims to process only locally sourced crude.
In June, Nigerian oil producers supplied 53% of the refinery’s feedstock, while the remaining 47% came mainly from the United States.
Currently, the refinery processes about 550,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
In the past, it has also imported crude from Brazil, Angola, Ghana, and Equatorial Guinea.
Efforts are underway to increase collaboration between Nigerian oil producers, the federal government, and the refinery to raise the proportion of domestic crude being refined.
As the Dangote Refinery strengthens its global footprint and builds a more self-reliant supply chain, it is reshaping Nigeria’s role in the international energy sector.
Its rise signals a potential turning point for Africa’s participation in the global petroleum market, not just as a consumer, but as a key supplier of refined fuels.
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Image Credit: Nairametrics
