- Dangote’s crude imports hit 60m barrels
- OPEC output drops to 5-month low
By Obinna Uballa
Nigeria’s ambition to achieve fuel self-sufficiency and end decades of dependence on imported petroleum products remains elusive, as new data show the country spent more than N4 trillion on fuel and crude oil imports in the first half of 2025, with Dangote Refinery importing an estimated 60 million barrels of crude oil within the same period.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in figures released at the weekend, revealed that Nigeria spent N2.3 trillion on petrol imports in Q2 2025, up from N1.76 trillion in Q1, bringing the total for the first six months to about N4.06 trillion.
Petrol was among the top five most imported commodities, followed by durum wheat, gas oil, crude petroleum oils, and refined cane sugar, according to NBS data.
At the same time, the Dangote Group Chairman, Aliko Dangote, disclosed at the West African Refined Fuel Conference in Abuja that the refinery, touted as Nigeria’s hope of ending fuel imports, had been compelled to import between 9 to 10 million barrels of crude oil monthly from the US and other countries, due to supply shortfalls from Nigeria’s own oil fields.
“As we speak today, we buy 9 to 10 million barrels of crude monthly from the US and other countries,” Dangote said.
Despite being Africa’s largest crude oil producer, Nigeria continues to spend trillions importing refined fuels, while even its flagship refinery, the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote facility, has been forced to rely on foreign crude to sustain operations.
NBS data show that mineral fuels, which include petrol, diesel, kerosene, aviation fuel, and natural gas, accounted for N4.42 trillion or 28.95% of total imports in Q2 alone. Machinery and transport equipment followed with N4.33 trillion (28.38%), while chemicals and related products amounted to N2.46 trillion (16.10%).
Analysts note that the reliance on imported fuels negates the original promise of the Dangote Refinery, which was expected to guarantee self-sufficiency, stabilise prices, conserve foreign exchange, and position Nigeria as a net exporter of refined products in Africa.
Instead, structural challenges, ranging from underproduction of crude to NNPC’s preference for export sales to generate foreign exchange, have constrained local supply to the refinery.
OPEC production hits 5 months low
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s crude oil production under the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) fell to a five-month low of 1.43 million barrels per day in August, according to OPEC’s September Monthly Oil Market Report.
The figure, based on direct communication with Nigerian authorities, represents a 4.7% month-on-month decline and falls below Nigeria’s OPEC quota of 1.5 million bpd.
Although condensates, which are excluded from OPEC’s quota calculations, contributed an additional 204,000 bpd in July (August figures yet to be released), Nigeria has only managed to meet its OPEC quota three times this year: January, June, and July.
Secondary OPEC sources, however, estimated Nigeria’s August production slightly higher at 1.54 million bpd, compared to 1.55 million bpd in July.
Despite the decline, Nigeria retained its position as Africa’s leading oil producer, ahead of Libya (1.38m bpd), Algeria (947,000 bpd), and Congo (271,000 bpd).
