- Dangote Refinery expands gasoline and urea exports to Africa, supporting regional energy and agricultural supply amid the Iran conflict.
- Nigeria’s refinery strengthens continental supply resilience, shipping 17 gasoline cargoes and increasing urea exports while maintaining domestic availability.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals has expanded shipments of gasoline and urea fertiliser to African markets. Aliko Dangote confirmed the strategy during a refinery tour, highlighting the refinery’s role in cushioning the continent against disruptions caused by the ongoing war in Iran.
Operating at full capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, the refinery has shipped 17 cargoes of gasoline to other African countries. Urea fertiliser exports have also risen, shifting focus from traditional markets in the United States and South America to Africa. The plant can produce up to 3 million metric tonnes of urea annually.
Data from tanker-tracking firm Kpler shows Nigeria’s clean petroleum exports, including petrol, diesel, kerosene, and jet fuel, rose to 214,000 barrels per day in March, up from an average of 100,000 barrels per day in February. Exports to other African nations climbed from 38,000 to 90,000 barrels per day.
The surge reflects a broader shift in Africa’s energy supply chain. The Strait of Hormuz has effectively closed to commercial traffic since March 2, cutting around 17.8 million barrels per day in oil flows. Countries that historically relied on long-haul imports from Europe and the Gulf now face acute supply shortages.
Governments from South Africa, Ghana, and Kenya have formally engaged the refinery, while others make inquiries to secure stable fuel supplies. Nigerian National Petroleum Company allocated seven May cargoes to Dangote, up from five in previous months.
Oil prices remain elevated, with Brent crude at $109.13 per barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate at $112.31 per barrel, as markets react to stalled U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks. Meanwhile, Nigeria halted fuel imports in February, and domestic petrol prices have risen more than 50 percent. The country consumes 50-60 million litres per day, nearly one-fifth of Africa’s total demand.
The refinery’s growing regional role enhances both commercial and strategic significance. Officials say the export surge aligns with rising demand from African countries facing supply shortages and higher import costs. Domestic supply will remain secure, as the refinery’s design included export capacity from the outset.