The Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals exported about 1.66 billion litres of refined petroleum products in April 2026 amid growing tensions between the United States and Iran, according to fresh data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
The exports included 513 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol, 534 million litres of diesel, and 615 million litres of aviation fuel.
The figures were contained in the NMDPRA’s April 2026 fact sheet, which showed that the Lekki-based 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery recorded its highest monthly export volume since commencing operations.
The report said the refinery exported an average of 55.4 million litres of petroleum products daily during the period under review.
The surge in exports comes as fears grow over possible disruptions to global oil supply routes following escalating tensions involving the United States and Iran, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, a major global oil shipping route.
Industry experts quoted in the report said geopolitical uncertainty had increased demand for refined products from alternative suppliers, with Nigeria emerging as a key source for parts of Africa, Europe and Asia.
The NMDPRA said local refineries achieved an average capacity utilisation of 99.12 per cent in April, with the Dangote refinery accounting for most of the production. The regulator added that the refinery operated at 100 per cent capacity “for most of the days in April.”
The report also showed that domestic refineries received 18.37 million barrels of crude oil in April, compared to 13.11 million barrels in March.
Despite meeting local supply obligations, the refinery maintained strong export activity. Average daily petrol production stood at 53.6 million litres, with 40.7 million litres supplied locally and 17.1 million litres exported daily.
Diesel production averaged 23.6 million litres daily, while exports accounted for 17.8 million litres per day, more than twice the domestic supply volume of eight million litres daily.
For aviation fuel, exports stood at 20.5 million litres daily compared to local supply of 2.6 million litres per day.
The development comes weeks after domestic airline operators raised concerns over rising aviation fuel costs.
The report also noted that Nigeria may have become a net exporter of petrol for the first time in decades following increased output from the Dangote refinery. In March, the refinery reportedly exported about 434 million litres of petrol after production exceeded domestic demand.
According to the NMDPRA, Nigerians consumed an average of 51.1 million litres of petrol daily in April, while diesel and aviation fuel consumption stood at 17.3 million litres and 2.5 million litres daily respectively.
The regulator attributed continued high petrol prices partly to global crude oil costs, which averaged $120.55 per barrel in April, while gasoline prices stood at $1,074.97 per metric tonne.
The report said the refinery is expected to play a major role in Nigeria’s energy security and foreign exchange earnings as global fuel trade patterns continue to shift.
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