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Aliko Dangote's petroleum refinery has exported 456,000 tonnes of refined petroleum products across five African markets since hitting full production capacity in February, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria's emergence as a regional fuel supplier.
The Lagos-based refinery said it completed the sale of 12 cargoes lifted by international traders on a free on board basis. The shipments went to Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Tanzania, Ghana and Togo, and represent the refinery's first petrol export push since it reached its nameplate capacity of 650,000 barrels per day.
The refinery described the products as Euro 5-grade gasoline and diesel, a quality standard it said positions Nigeria to supply markets that have historically received lower-grade fuel imports from distant sources.
"This accomplishment underscores the Dangote Refinery's capability to not only meet but exceed Nigeria's domestic fuel demands," the company said in a statement. It added that the exports demonstrate "the refinery's growing role in supplying high-quality Euro 5 gasoline and diesel to West Africa, a region long underserved and historically regarded as a dumping ground for lower-quality fuels."
The timing of the export announcement is not incidental. Several African governments have been moving to diversify away from Middle East fuel supply since Iran blockaded the Strait of Hormuz on Feb. 28, choking off the waterway through which roughly a fifth of the world's oil flows. South Africa, Ghana and Kenya have all made formal contact with the Dangote refinery in recent weeks as they seek alternatives.
Dangote's refinery is not large enough to cover all of Africa's fuel needs. Roughly 75 percent of its output is reserved for Nigeria's domestic market, leaving a limited but growing export window. The 456,000 tonnes figure, spread across 12 cargoes and five countries, gives that window its first concrete shape since the plant reached full capacity.
The refinery said the export model supports regional energy security by cutting logistics delays tied to long-distance imports and easing cost pressure on African fuel markets through closer sourcing. It added that the arrangement deepens trade ties between Nigeria and key partner economies on the continent.
Dangote, Africa's richest man with an estimated net worth of $28.5 billion, has positioned the refinery as the cornerstone of a broader strategy to grow Dangote Group's revenues toward $30 billion by 2026 through integrated exports of refined fuels, fertilizers and petrochemicals. The plant, which began operations in 2024, is the world's largest single-train refinery and the most significant industrial project in Nigeria's history.
