The House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources Downstream has described Nigeria’s emergence as a net exporter of petrol as a significant development for the country’s energy sector, attributing the shift to growing domestic refining capacity.
The committee noted that the milestone was driven by operations at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals, which, in March 2026, exported more refined petrol than the country imported. This marks a reversal of Nigeria’s long-standing dependence on imported fuel despite being a major crude oil producer.
Available market data indicates that the refinery exported about 44,000 barrels per day of petrol during the month, while national imports declined to approximately 41,000 barrels per day, resulting in a marginal export surplus.
The development represents a structural shift in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, where crude oil has historically been exported for refining abroad before being re-imported as finished products due to limited domestic processing capacity.
Further data shows that crude supply to the refinery rose to about 565,000 barrels per day in March, reflecting one of the highest utilisation levels since the facility began operations. This level of throughput underscores the scale at which the refinery is operating within the domestic market.
Chairman of the committee, Ikenga Ugochinyere, said the development signals progress in efforts to strengthen local refining and stabilise Nigeria’s fuel supply chain. He noted that the transition, even at a modest level, demonstrates the potential of domestic refining to reshape the country’s energy landscape.
According to the lawmakers, increased local refining could help reduce pressure on foreign exchange demand, improve fuel availability, and enhance energy security if current trends are sustained.
The committee also highlighted the role of policy reforms in enabling large scale investments in the sector, adding that continued regulatory support and infrastructure protection would be essential to maintaining momentum.
The refinery’s performance has been widely viewed as a step toward correcting long-standing inefficiencies in the petroleum value chain, with expectations that sustained output could position Nigeria more firmly as a regional supplier of refined petroleum products.
Lawmakers reaffirmed their commitment to supporting policies that encourage domestic refining and industrial growth, as part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s position within the global energy market.