Nigeria has relinquished its long-held position as Africa’s largest importer of refined petroleum products following the ramp-up of operations at the Dangote Petrochemical Refinery, a new report has stated.
South Africa has now overtaken Nigeria as the continent’s largest fuel importer, according to new data from energy consultancy CITAC, signalling a seismic shift in Africa’s downstream oil market.
The refinery, which began large-scale production in early 2024, is already disrupting established trade flows across sub-Saharan Africa and reshaping the continent’s energy dynamics.
With a refining capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, the largest single-train refinery in the world, its rising output is sharply reducing Nigeria’s dependence on petrol imports.