Dangote exports 1. 66bn litres fuel amid US-Iran tensions

Fresh data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority has shown that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals exported an estimated 1. 66 billion litres of refined petroleum products in April 2026. This came amid mounting tensions in the Middle East and fears of possible disruption to global fuel supply routes following. and Iran.

An analysis of the NMDPRA’s April 2026 fact sheet by showed that the country exported about 513 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol; 534 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil, also known as diesel; and 615 million litres of aviation fuel within the month under review. The Dangote refinery is the only major functional refinery in Nigeria that currently produces enough refined petroleum products for both local consumption and export.

This is the first month the refinery has exported such a high volume of petroleum products, especially jet fuel and diesel, indicating the significance of the 650,000-barrel-per-day plant in Lekki, Lagos State. The combined export volume translates to approximately 55. 4 million litres daily. The development comes as the international oil market faces fresh uncertainty over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil shipping route, following.

Industry experts showed the rising geopolitical uncertainty had significantly boosted demand for refined petroleum products from alternative suppliers such as Nigeria, especially as Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia scramble for more secure fuel sources. The NMDPRA document showed that local refineries operated at an average capacity utilisation of 99. 12 per cent in April, with the Dangote refinery accounting for the overwhelming share of production.