Nigeria has exported petrol to the United States for the first time, a historic milestone that signals the country’s emergence as a net exporter of refined products beyond Africa and Europe.
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The breakthrough shipment coincides with Nigeria recording a trade surplus of $8.4 billion in the first half of 2025, cementing its position as Africa’s trade surplus leader.
The cargo, approximately 320,000 barrels of gasoline, was transported aboard the tanker Gemini Pearl and discharged at Sunoco’s Linden terminal in New York Harbor, according to vessel-tracking data and sources cited by Reuters. The shipment was sold by Geneva-based Mocoh Oil to Vitol, the world’s largest independent oil trader, which resold most of it to US fuel distributor Sunoco.
Experts said the milestone underscores both the commercial reach of the $20 billion Dangote Refinery and its technical achievement in producing petrol that meets stringent American fuel standards.
The Dangote Refinery, a 650,000-barrel-per-day mega-complex on the outskirts of Lagos, was conceived over a decade ago to transform Nigeria’s energy landscape. After years of construction delays and financing challenges, the refinery began test runs in 2023 and ramped up output through 2024, with diesel and jet fuel exports primarily to Europe and West Africa.
Petrol production faced additional technical hurdles due to the need to meet international quality specifications. The successful delivery of petrol to the US is the clearest signal that these challenges have been overcome.
“This shipment demonstrates that Dangote Refinery has reached a new operational phase,” said a trader familiar with the deal. “The US is one of the most competitive and tightly regulated fuel markets. If Dangote can place volumes there, it can sell anywhere.”
Historically, Nigeria has been Africa’s top crude exporter but imported billions of dollars in refined products annually due to the collapse of state-run refineries. The commissioning of Dangote’s private refinery is set to reverse this trend.
Analysts note that the refinery’s gasoline output could significantly reduce imports into Nigeria and neighboring West African states, with surplus cargoes now destined for Europe, the Americas, and beyond.
“West Africa has been a structural importer of gasoline for decades,” said Tunde Adelakun, head of Downstream Research at Sofidam Capital. “Dangote changes that equation. Its scale allows it not only to meet domestic needs but also to export competitively into Atlantic Basin markets.”
Mocoh Oil, a mid-sized Geneva trading firm, sold the initial load to Vitol, which leveraged its logistics network to move the cargo into the US market, largely supplying Sunoco. Tracking data shows two additional gasoline shipments from Dangote Refinery are en route to the US, highlighting confidence in the refinery’s competitiveness.
The milestone comes at a politically sensitive time, as Nigeria continues to contend with petrol subsidies, import bills, and chronic fuel shortages. President Bola Tinubu’s administration has championed the Dangote project as a symbol of industrial self-sufficiency and a buffer against foreign exchange volatility.
Aliko Dangote, president and CEO of Dangote Petroleum Refinery, has repeatedly stated that the refinery could save Nigeria up to $10 billion annually in import costs while generating foreign exchange through exports. Experts note that breaking into the US market enhances Nigeria’s reputation as a credible player in global refined product markets.
Challenges remain, however. The refinery depends heavily on Nigerian crude, which has faced production shortfalls and pipeline disruptions. Domestic supply has also been slowed by pricing disputes with local marketers. Analysts caution that sustaining a presence in US and global markets will require consistent quality, reliable supply, and competitive pricing.
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