Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals appears to be making significant strides in the global energy market, with the United States (U.S.) importing over two million barrels of jet fuel from the Dangote Refinery in March.
This shipment to the United States comes after Dangote Petroleum Refinery exported three cargoes of jet fuel, around 130 million litres to Saudi Arabia.
Having already proven its competitiveness against European refiners in gasoline (PMS) exports, the refinery’s jet fuel supply to the U.S. could disrupt the economics of domestic producers in the world’s largest fuel market.
Ship-tracking data from Kpler shows that six vessels carrying approximately 1.7 million barrels of jet fuel from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery arrived at U.S. ports this month. Also, another vessel, the Hafnia Andromeda, is expected to arrive at the Everglades terminal on March 29 with approximately 348,000 barrels of jet fuel.
With a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day (bpd), Dangote Refinery’s exports underscore its growing influence in global fuel markets, positioning it as a key swing supplier in the Atlantic Basin.
However, this development comes at a time when Dangote Refinery has temporarily halted the sale of petroleum products in naira, following the apparent collapse of negotiations with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over the naira-for-crude arrangement.
Experts believe this development is a significant milestone for Nigerians as it underscores the refinery’s exceptional product quality and the confidence the international market has in Dangote Refinery.
Chief Operating Officer of TankTiger, Steven Barsamian, stated that the increased supply from Nigeria was contributing to a surge in demand, which would likely drive down jet fuel prices in the US ahead of the peak summer travel season.”
“US jet fuel imports from Dangote Refinery are expected to decrease aviation fuel prices during this period, according to trade analysts and storage brokers. US jet fuel imports in March have averaged around 226,000 bpd, the highest since February 2023, underlining the global demand for products from Dangote Refinery,” Barsamian said.
Dangote Refinery, which began production in January 2024, has already exported its products across multiple continents. While the rise in US imports was partly due to a maintenance-related shutdown at the Phillips 66 Bayway refinery in New Jersey, analysts suggest that the preference for Dangote’s products underscores its growing foothold in global markets, having previously outcompeted European refiners in gasoline exports.
Economist and CEO of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprises (CPPE), Dr. Muda Yusuf, described the export of jet fuel to the United States as a significant achievement for Nigeria, reflecting the refinery’s high standards, quality, and the confidence of the international market.
Public Policy Expert, Dr Abimbola Oyarinu, emphasised that Nigeria’s economy would have been in a much stronger position if the country had maintained functional refineries in the past rather than relying on crude oil exports while importing refined petroleum products.
