By James Adamu
Nigeria has overtaken the United States to become Europe’s largest supplier of jet fuel, following a record-breaking export surge from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in June 2026.
This came as Dangote Refinery exported approximately 466,000 metric tonnes of aviation fuel to Europe in June, valued at an estimated N757.25bn.
This volume represents the highest level of Nigerian jet fuel exports to the continent since the country became a net exporter of aviation fuel in 2024.
United States aviation fuel exports to Europe fell sharply over the same period, declining from a record 818,000 metric tonnes in April to 560,000 metric tonnes in May, and further dropping to 399,000 metric tonnes in June. This steady decline left Nigeria as the bigger supplier to Europe during the month.
The June export volume from Nigeria is equivalent to approximately 582.5 million litres of jet fuel.
According to an S&P Global Commodity Insights report, the refinery’s exports coincided with the European jet fuel market turning increasingly bearish following a sharp decline in prices from highs recorded during the Middle East conflict.
The European jet fuel forward curve weakened significantly after reaching record highs during the Middle East war, as traders anticipate an oversupplied summer market amid weaker-than-expected aviation demand.
The Northwest Europe jet CIF cargo financial assessment for July dropped to $981.75 per metric tonne on June 30, down sharply from the all-time high of $1,694.25 per metric tonne recorded on March 30.
Nigeria’s Growing Role as Global Supplier
The development underscores Nigeria’s gradual transition from a major importer of refined petroleum products to an export hub within Africa and beyond.
Data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority showed that the Dangote Refinery exported an estimated 1.66 billion litres of refined petroleum products in April 2026, including 615 million litres of aviation fuel.
The refinery is the only major functional refinery in Nigeria that currently produces enough refined petroleum products for both local consumption and export . Nigeria has also become a net petrol exporter for the first time in decades due to rising output from the Dangote facility.
Market analysts observed that jet fuel exports may rise further with the instability caused by the Middle East crisis, which has disrupted traditional supply chains serving Europe and other regions .
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