Nigeria’s Dangote mega-refinery has begun exporting fuel to other African countries, responding to soaring global oil prices triggered by the Middle East war.
The three-week-long conflict has disrupted deliveries through the crucial Strait of Hormuz, forcing nations to adopt measures to control price surges.
Dangote Refinery, owned by Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote, said it sold 12 cargoes totalling 456,000 tonnes to regional markets.
Recipient countries include Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Tanzania, Ghana and Togo, reflecting the refinery’s growing influence on the continent’s energy landscape.
Located east of Lagos, the refinery produces 650,000 barrels per day, allowing it to meet and exceed Nigeria’s domestic fuel demands.
“By supplying neighbouring and other economies, Dangote Refinery enhances energy security across West, East, and Central Africa,” the company said in a statement.
A refinery spokesman told AFP the war in the Middle East prompted the exports, adding that international demand for jet fuel is rising.
Nigeria, Africa’s leading oil producer, has seen petrol prices climb sharply from 830 naira per litre to more than 1,300 naira in Lagos.
Dangote had initially promised to prioritise the domestic market, aiming to prevent shortages and curb the impact of global price fluctuations.
Before the refinery opened in 2024, Nigeria imported nearly all its fuel, leaving the nation vulnerable to repeated shortages and volatile pricing.
The exports mark a new chapter for Nigeria’s energy sector, transforming the country from a reliant importer to a regional fuel supplier.
