In a significant stride for Nigeria’s energy sector, Dangote Petroleum Refinery announced today its first export of 90,000 metric tonnes of gasoline to Asia, marking the workshop’s debut shipment beyond the West African market. The cargo, to be loaded by Mercuria on June 22, underscores the 650,000 barrels-per-day plant’s growing global reach and its ambition to reshape regional fuel trade.
Since beginning exports last year, Dangote Refinery has supplied jet fuel to the United States—shipping some 1.7 million barrels across six vessels—and delivered low-sulphur straight-run fuel oil to Singapore in April. The new gasoline shipment represents a pivot toward Asian markets, where demand for refined products continues to climb.
“This milestone reflects our commitment to steady production and market diversification,” said a refinery spokesperson. “By moving into Asia, we’re proving that Nigerian-made fuel can compete on reliability and quality anywhere in the world.”
Operated by the Aliko Dangote-owned conglomerate in the Lekki Free Zone, Dangote Refinery has been lauded by OPEC for disrupting Europe-to-Africa gasoline flows, a trade valued at nearly $17 billion annually. Industry analysts predict that as the refinery ramps up exports, it may drive down import dependency and bolster foreign exchange earnings for Nigeria.
In parallel with Dangote’s expansion, the Senate’s Committee on Public Accounts this week pressed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) for a comprehensive audit of over ₦210 trillion in discrepancies across its 2017–2023 financial statements. Committee chairman Senator Aliyu Wadada gave NNPCL a seven-day deadline to explain irregular “accrued expenses” and “receivables,” as the company prepares for a planned IPO.
“The transparency we demand today is vital for investor confidence—especially as our energy giants step onto the world stage,” Senator Wadada commented.
Combined, these developments illustrate a turning point for Nigeria’s oil and gas industry: while Dangote Refinery cements its status as a global supplier, oversight bodies are reinforcing fiscal accountability at the national oil company. For Nigeria’s energy future, it is a moment of both opportunity and rigorous self-examination.