Nigeria has reversed its brief status as a net exporter of petroleum products, returning to large-scale petrol imports in May after critical maintenance at the Dangote Refinery temporarily slashed local production.
According to new market data released by Argus Media, petrol deliveries into Nigeria averaged 57,000 barrels per day (bpd) in May, while exports stood at just 23,000 bpd.
This marks a sharp reversal from March and April, when local supply from the Dangote Refinery had allowed the country to achieve a rare net export position.
The development underscores Nigeria’s continued—if partial—dependence on foreign fuel supplies, despite the inauguration of Africa’s largest oil refinery.
Industry sources confirmed that the surge in imports was driven primarily by scheduled maintenance at the 700,000 bpd Dangote Refinery in Lekki, Lagos. Specifically, the refinery’s Residual Fluid Catalytic Cracker (RFCC)—a critical unit responsible for converting heavy residues into high-value gasoline—was taken offline for repairs and routine servicing during the month.
The temporary shutdown of the RFCC reduced the facility’s gasoline output, creating a supply gap that local marketers and traders rushed to fill with imported petrol.
With local production constrained, Nigeria turned almost exclusively to European suppliers. Data showed that Europe supplied 100% of Nigeria’s petrol import requirements in May, with Norway emerging as the single largest source.
Italy and France followed as the next biggest suppliers. This reliance on European refineries highlights a structural vulnerability: even with a domestic mega-refinery online, any downtime can force Africa’s largest oil producer back into the international spot market.
Perhaps the most striking detail in the data is the revelation that both the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and Dangote Refinery itself participated in fuel imports during May.
NNPC imported approximately 11,000 bpd of petrol, while Dangote Refinery accounted for 27,000 bpd of imports. The figures present an unusual scenario in which the Dangote Refinery remains the country’s largest domestic producer of refined products while simultaneously ranking as one of its biggest importers of finished petrol.
Industry analysts suggest the refinery likely imported petrol to cover its own contractual obligations or to supply its retail network while its RFCC unit was down.
The return to large-scale imports was also facilitated by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), which had approved substantial import allocations for the second quarter of the year.
Several independent marketing companies received permits to bring in petroleum products, including AA Rano, AYM Shafa, Bono Energy, Matrix Energy, NIPCO, and Pinnacle Oil & Gas. These approvals were originally intended to supplement domestic supply and prevent shortages. However, with Dangote’s output temporarily reduced, those import quotas became essential to bridging the supply gap.
Despite the maintenance-related disruption, refinery operations at the Lekki facility have continued, with significant volumes of blending materials and feedstock still being delivered to the plant.
The RFCC unit is expected to come back online shortly, which should restore domestic gasoline production and reduce the need for imports.
However, the episode has raised fresh questions about Nigeria’s long-term fuel security. With the Dangote Refinery yet to reach its full capacity and older state-owned refineries still largely inactive, the country remains vulnerable to any operational hiccup at its single most important refining asset.
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