The Dangote Petroleum Refinery will soon send its first shipment of petrol outside Africa, with a cargo heading to Asia on June 22. A source told Reuters on Wednesday that the shipment will carry 90,000 metric tonnes of petrol.
This will be the first time the refinery exports petrol beyond the African region since it started commercial fuel production.
Independent oil trader Mercuria will handle the shipment. A Dangote spokesperson confirmed the deal, saying, “We sell our products to those who are willing to give us the highest price. It’s the buyer’s right to take the products to any destination of their choice.”
The $20 billion refinery, built by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, began operations in January 2024. It started producing diesel and naphtha early in the year, and began producing petrol in September. With a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, it is the largest refinery in Africa and one of the biggest in the world.
Until now, the refinery has sold petrol only within West Africa. But this new move suggests that the company is ready to compete globally. Experts say the refinery has been buying more U.S. crude oil (WTI) in recent months to improve the quality of its petrol output.
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Randy Hurburun, a refinery analyst at Energy Aspects, told Bloomberg that WTI is useful for gasoline blending because it gives a higher yield of reformate, which improves petrol quality.
Commenting on the refinery’s plans, Clementine Wallop, director at Horizon Engage, a political risk firm, said the development reflects growing trust in the plant’s ability.
“This shows the Dangote refinery’s growing global importance as a gasoline supplier, and the company’s confidence that production is now stable enough to meet Nigeria’s domestic needs,” she said.
The refinery is expected to supply all of Nigeria’s petrol needs and still have enough left for export. The decision to export to Asia signals a major step in its commercial strategy and global expansion.