Nigeria exported Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, valued at N371.54bn in the second quarter of 2025, according to new data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The milestone marks the country’s first recorded shipment of the product following the start of operations at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, Africa’s largest single-train refining complex.
Petrol exports contributed 1.63 per cent of Nigeria’s total exports in the quarter, reflecting a sharp turnaround for a country historically reliant on fuel imports due to the inactivity of its state-owned refineries. No petrol exports were recorded in the previous quarter or the same period of 2024.
Trade figures revealed that only N85.83bn, or 23.1 per cent, of the petrol exports went to Africa, all within West Africa and specifically to member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The bulk of shipments—76.9 per cent—were destined for markets outside the continent, particularly in Asia and the Middle East, underscoring the refinery’s international competitiveness.
Within Nigeria’s regional trade profile, petrol represented 2.89 per cent of exports to Africa, 4.36 per cent to West Africa, and 4.45 per cent to ECOWAS. Analysts say the development signals the beginning of Nigeria’s transition from a net importer to a potential fuel export hub.
