Fresh figures released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) have shown that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals exported about 1.66 billion litres of refined petroleum products in April 2026.
The exports included petrol, diesel, and aviation fuel, making it one of the refinery’s strongest monthly export performances since operations began.
According to the NMDPRA report, the refinery exported approximately 513 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, 534 million litres of diesel, and 615 million litres of aviation fuel during the month.
The massive export volume comes at a time when global fuel markets are facing uncertainty due to rising tensions in the Middle East, especially the growing conflict involving the United States and Iran. Concerns over possible disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes, have pushed many countries to seek alternative fuel suppliers.
Industry experts said the situation has increased global demand for refined petroleum products from countries like Nigeria, particularly from the Dangote refinery, which is currently the country’s only major refinery producing enough fuel for both local use and export.
Located in Lekki, Lagos State, the refinery has a processing capacity of 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day. The latest export figures show the growing importance of the facility in both Nigeria’s economy and the international fuel market.
The combined export volume translates to an average of about 55.4 million litres of refined products exported daily throughout April. Analysts believe this signals Nigeria’s gradual transformation from a major importer of refined fuel into a key exporter within Africa.
The NMDPRA also reported that local refineries operated at an average capacity utilisation rate of 99.12 per cent in April, with the Dangote refinery contributing almost all of the production. According to the regulator, the refinery operated at full capacity for most days during the month.
The report further showed that domestic refineries received 18.37 million barrels of crude oil in April, a noticeable increase from the 13.11 million barrels supplied in March.
Despite the high export levels, the refinery continued to supply large volumes of fuel to the local market. Daily petrol production averaged 53.6 million litres, with about 40.7 million litres supplied within Nigeria and 17.1 million litres exported each day.
Diesel production stood at an average of 23.6 million litres daily. Out of this figure, exports accounted for 17.8 million litres per day, while domestic supply remained around 8 million litres daily.
For aviation fuel, exports reached 20.5 million litres daily, compared to local supply of 2.6 million litres per day. The strong export performance in aviation fuel comes shortly after Nigerian airline operators raised concerns over rising jet fuel costs.
The NMDPRA figures also revealed that Nigerians consumed an average of 51.1 million litres of petrol daily in April. Diesel consumption stood at 17.3 million litres daily, while aviation fuel usage averaged 2.5 million litres per day.
Although local refining activity has increased significantly, petrol prices across Nigeria remained high. The regulator linked this to rising international crude oil prices, which averaged about $120.55 per barrel during the period.
