Nigeria Dangote Refinery Expands Reach with First Fuel Exports to West African Nations

Dangote Refinery has begun exporting refined gasoline to West African nations like Togo, Ghana, and South Africa, marking the start of significant regional fuel exports. This shift aims to reduce reliance on costly European imports, potentially disrupting regional fuel markets and reducing fuel prices across West Africa.

The Dangote Refinery has begun exporting refined petroleum products to several West African countries, marking a significant development for the region's fuel market. According to a report, a tanker recently carried over 300,000 barrels of gasoline from the refinery to Togo.

The shipment signals the start of an expanded export strategy, with potential shipments to Ghana, South Africa, Angola, and other nations. Ghana's National Petroleum Authority has already expressed interest in sourcing petroleum from Dangote to reduce reliance on costly imports from Europe, which incur high freight costs.

Additionally, other countries such as Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso, and the Central African Republic are in negotiations to secure fuel supplies from the refinery. The refinery, with a 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) capacity, is expected to significantly impact regional markets as it ramps up production. The shift from European fuel imports to local supplies could help reduce fuel costs in West Africa, particularly for countries like Ghana.

However, it remains to be seen how much of the refinery's gasoline output will be exported versus used domestically. The Dangote refinery’s operations could lead to greater fuel self-sufficiency in West Africa and influence market dynamics in the region.