The Dangote Petroleum Refinery exported about 434 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) in March 2026, as the facility diversified its customer base after significantly outpacing domestic consumption, findings from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority have shown.
Data obtained from the NMDPRA’s March 2026 fact sheet on the state of the downstream sector and analysed by our correspondent on Wednesday revealed that the refinery produced a total of 1.49 billion litres of petrol during the month, while only 1.06 billion litres were supplied to the domestic market, leaving a substantial export surplus.
The report indicated that the refinery, owned by Aliko Dangote, operated at an average capacity utilisation of 93.62 per cent, reinforcing its position as the dominant supplier of refined petroleum products in Nigeria.
A breakdown of the figures showed that the refinery produced an average of 48.2 million litres of petrol per day, translating to 1.49 billion litres for the 31-day period. Of this volume, 34.2 million litres per day, totalling 1.06 billion litres, was supplied locally.
This implies that about 434 million litres of petrol were exported within the period, underscoring the refinery’s growing influence not only in Nigeria but across African markets.
The export of excess petrol reflects a major shift in Nigeria’s downstream sector, which has historically depended on imports to meet local demand. This development was further confirmed in a statement issued by the refinery earlier this week.
It stated that, “Nigeria recorded a historic shift in its downstream petroleum trade in March, emerging as a net exporter of gasoline for the first time, driven largely by rising output from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals.
“Data from market intelligence firm Kpler showed that gasoline imports into the country dropped sharply to 41,000 barrels per day (b/d) during the month, the lowest level on record. At the same time, crude supply to the Dangote facility rose to about 565,000 b/d, the second-highest intake since the 650,000 b/d refinery commenced operations in late 2023, indicating strong processing rates and increased product yield.
“Total gasoline exports from the refinery rose to 44,000 b/d in March, compared to no exports recorded in January and February. This shift enabled Nigeria to post a net export position of approximately 3,000 b/d for the month.”
The statement further noted, “In expanding its market reach, the Dangote Refinery exported gasoline to East Africa for the first time, shipping a 317,000-barrel cargo to Mozambique. The move reflects growing demand in the region as buyers seek alternatives to Middle East Gulf supplies amid ongoing disruptions. Another April shipment from the refinery is also bound for Beira, Mozambique.”
President/Chief Executive, Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, recently described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ongoing economic and energy sector reforms as critical to restoring market confidence and enabling large-scale investments in domestic refining.
The report also highlighted the refinery’s contribution to diesel supply, showing that it produced 16.5 million litres per day of Automotive Gas Oil but supplied only 2.2 million litres domestically, suggesting that a large portion was also exported.
Despite the impressive performance of the Dangote refinery, Nigeria’s state-owned refineries remained largely dormant during the period under review.
The Port Harcourt Refining Company was shut down, although it recorded minimal evacuation of previously produced diesel at an average of 0.048 million litres per day. The Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company were also not operational.
In contrast, modular refineries contributed only marginally to the country’s fuel supply. Data showed that three operational modular refineries—Walter Smith, Edo Refinery, and Aradel—jointly supplied an average of 0.629 million litres per day of diesel in March.
Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector has undergone significant transformation following the commencement of operations at the Dangote refinery, which has a nameplate capacity of 650,000 barrels per day.
For decades, Africa’s largest oil producer relied heavily on imported refined products due to the poor performance of its state-owned refineries.
However, the ramp-up in production at the Dangote facility is gradually reversing this trend, boosting local supply and positioning Nigeria as a potential exporter of refined petroleum products.
The NMDPRA has repeatedly stated that increased domestic refining capacity is critical to achieving energy security, reducing pressure on foreign exchange, and stabilising fuel prices.
Analysts, however, warn that sustained crude supply, functional distribution networks, and the revival of state-owned refineries will be essential to fully maximise the benefits of Nigeria’s refining revolution.
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