Business

Crude earnings fall by N3.18tn amid output surge

Published

3 months ago

September 15, 2025

Nigeria’s crude oil exports declined by N3.18tn in the first half of 2025 despite an increase in production volumes, the latest foreign trade statistics report from the National Bureau of Statistics has shown.

It was observed that while the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission reported a 12.7 per cent rise in crude oil output during the period, export earnings from crude fell by more than 11 per cent year-on-year.

Between January and June 2025, crude oil exports totalled N24.92tn, down from N28.10tn in the same period of 2024. This represents an 11.3 per cent decline in value, or a loss of N3.18tn.

Further analysis of the foreign trade data from the NBS by The PUNCH showed that in the first quarter of 2025, crude exports stood at N12.96tn, compared to N15.49tn in Q1 2024. The difference of N2.53tn amounts to a 16.3 per cent fall. By the second quarter, the decline was less steep: exports dropped from N12.61tn in Q2 2024 to N11.97tn in Q2 2025, a reduction of N642bn or 5.1 per cent.

The contribution of crude oil to total exports also weakened. In Q1 2024, crude accounted for 80.8 per cent of Nigeria’s exports, but by Q1 2025 this had dropped to 62.9 per cent, a decline of nearly 18 percentage points. The downward trend continued in Q2, with crude making up 52.6 per cent of exports, compared to 71.2 per cent in Q2 2024 — a decline of about 18.6 percentage points.

By contrast, non-crude oil exports surged. In H1 2025, they more than doubled to N18.43tn, compared with N8.79tn in H1 2024 — a growth of 109.6 per cent or an additional N9.64tn. Non-oil exports alone rose from N3.74tn to N6.21tn, an increase of N2.47tn or 66 per cent.

Overall trade also expanded. Total exports in H1 2025 reached N43.35tn, up from N36.89tn in H1 2024, reflecting a 17.5 per cent increase. Imports, on the other hand, rose by a slimmer margin of 6.9 per cent, from N28.72tn in H1 2024 to N30.71tn in H1 2025.

This contributed to an improved trade balance, which grew by 54.6 per cent, from N8.17tn in H1 2024 to N12.64tn in H1 2025. The PUNCH further observed that crude oil’s dominance in Nigeria’s export profile is being eroded, with its share sliding from 76.2 per cent in H1 2024 to 57.5 per cent in H1 2025.

The development highlights a paradox in Africa’s largest oil producer where rising output has not translated into stronger export performance, raising questions about domestic absorption, global oil demand, and pricing conditions. The data suggest that while Nigeria is pumping more crude, weaker global prices, rising domestic utilisation, or both, may be weighing on export receipts.

Earlier in March 2025, The PUNCH reported that Nigeria’s 2025 budget could come under pressure as crude oil prices slipped below the government’s benchmark projection of $75 per barrel. The situation, compounded by a dip in average daily crude production, was also expected to impact local refineries, including the Dangote plant and others.

While global factors such as falling oil prices may have contributed to the decline in export earnings, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has been supplying crude to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery under a naira-for-crude arrangement — a move analysts say could be diverting some volumes away from international markets.

Earlier in June 2025, The PUNCH reported that the Federal Government sold crude oil valued at N219.38bn to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in the first four months of 2025.

The government also earned $1.59m from crude oil exports in April 2025, during the period it suspended sales of domestic crude allocations to the Dangote refinery and local refiners. These details were contained in internal documents from the NNPCL, submitted at the Federation Account Allocation Committee meetings.

266.9m barrels crude

Nigeria pumped a total of 266.9 million barrels of crude oil between January and June 2025, according to figures obtained from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission by The PUNCH. The data show that the country recorded higher output across all six months compared to the same period in 2024, when production stood at 236.7 million barrels.

In January 2025, crude production rose to 47.7 million barrels, higher than the 44.2 million barrels recorded in January 2024. February output also increased to 41 million barrels, up from 38.3 million barrels in the same month of the previous year.

The upward trend extended into March, where production climbed to 43.4 million barrels, a gain of more than 5 million barrels compared to 38.2 million barrels in March 2024. April saw output reach 44.6 million barrels, rising by nearly 6 million barrels from the 38.7 million barrels recorded in April the previous year.

May’s figures showed a further improvement, with Nigeria producing 45 million barrels compared to 39.1 million barrels in May 2024. The highest year-on-year increase came in June, when production hit 45.2 million barrels, up from 38.1 million barrels a year earlier, a difference of about 7.1 million barrels.

Overall, the first half of 2025 saw crude production rise by 30.2 million barrels compared with the same period in 2024, representing a growth rate of 12.7 per cent. When condensates are included, total liquid output for the period reached 303.2 million barrels, compared to 275 million barrels recorded in the first half of 2024.

Industry watchers say the steady increase in crude production reflects improved operating conditions in the oil sector, though they caution that challenges such as pipeline vandalism, theft, and underinvestment continue to pose risks.

However, the NUPRC earlier revealed a 50.2 per cent reduction in crude oil losses during the first seven months of 2025. In a recent statement by the Head of Media and Strategic Communications at NUPRC, Eniola Akinkuotu, it was noted that between January and July 2025, the country lost 2.04 million barrels of crude oil, averaging 9,600 barrels per day, which is the lowest level since 2009 when losses were recorded at 8,500 barrels per day.

The current figures represent a 94.57 per cent drop from the losses experienced in 2021. The statement read, “Between January and July 2025, crude oil losses were contained at 2.04 million barrels, averaging 9,600 barrels per day over the seven-month period. This marks a clear departure from the high-loss years that have long plagued the industry.

“By comparison, the entire 2024 calendar year recorded 4.1 million barrels lost at a daily average of 11,300 barrels. Remarkably, in just the first seven months of 2025, losses were cut by 50.2 per cent, with only 2.04 million barrels lost over the period.

“The figures for the period ending July 2025 also represent a dramatic 94.57 per cent drop in crude oil losses compared to the full year of 2021, when Nigeria lost a staggering 37.6 million barrels at a daily average of 102,900 barrels.”

According to the statement, the progress was made possible by a combination of effective regulatory measures and collaboration with security agencies, oil operators, and local communities.

The NUPRC’s metering audit, aimed at ensuring accurate measurements of production and exports, has played a pivotal role in reducing discrepancies. NUPRC’s success is also attributed to the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act in 2021, which has significantly contributed to the downward trend in oil losses.

Also, the commission has adopted both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies to tackle the issue, continuing to work closely with stakeholders in the oil sector to ensure the country’s resources are better protected.

Earlier in June 2025, the Executive Coordinator of the Independent Petroleum Producers Group, Oyeleke Banmeke, said that crude oil theft in Nigeria has reduced significantly compared to figures recorded about two to three years ago.

Banmeke commended the current administration of President Bola Tinubu for improvements in security along the country’s oil-producing corridors, particularly in the Niger Delta.

Speaking earlier on the likely impact of crude oil prices on government revenue, an Energy Professor at the Lagos State University, Dayo Ayoade, said the drop in crude production prices would affect the budget adversely, though it would bring down fuel prices.

Ayoade also said that the government must do its best to achieve two million barrels per day, or the refineries will have to resort to imports, which may impact the fuel prices.

Similarly, Professor Adeola Adenikinju of the Department of Economics at the University of Ibadan argued that the decline in crude oil prices is like a two-edged sword. He said it would lower the prices of refined products, such as PMS.

“But macroeconomically, it’s going to have implications, especially for government revenue, simply because the two critical assumptions, you know, that would change the budget were the oil price and oil volume. So, if oil prices go down and persist, then that will mean that budget implementation will be very difficult,” he said.

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Business

VIDEO: Stop Buying Rolls-Royce, Use The Money To Build Industries Instead – Dangote Tells Wealthy Nigerians

Published

8 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

Olarenwaju disclosed that Jonathan betrayed a gentleman’s agreement with Atiku, hence the former Vice President moved against him in 2015.

Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Group, has urged Nigeria’s elite to channel the money spent on luxury items like Rolls-Royce cars and private jets into building industries that boost economic growth and generate jobs.

Speaking with The PUNCH after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at Aso Rock Villa on Saturday, Dangote lamented the culture of extravagant consumption, stressing that the nation’s development depends heavily on the responsibility of local investors.

“If you look at the Nigerian policy before, during the military, everybody from the president downwards used Peugeot 504. That was the highest. So, when a president is using 504, you cannot come as a commoner, as a businessman, or whoever you are, to be using Rolls-Royce,” he said.

Dangote criticised the proliferation of private jets at Nigerian airports, arguing that such wealth would be better invested in productive ventures.

“If you have money for a Rolls-Royce, you should go and put up an industry in your locality or anywhere in Nigeria where there is a need.

“It pains me when I go to the local airport, whether here or in Lagos, and even finding a parking space for your plane is impossible because everybody has a private jet. Those private jets could be in industries creating jobs,” he added.

Dangote emphasised that national development requires a strong focus on manufacturing and agriculture, supported by robust banking systems.

He also highlighted the urgent need for job creation, noting Nigeria’s population grows by 8.7 million babies every year, which demands significant investments in infrastructure and power.

“Some people may not know the position of the country as we speak. Population growth is 8.7 million babies every year. So we need to deliver power, infrastructure, and other essentials,” he said.

The billionaire also framed tax compliance as both a civic duty and a partnership with the government.

“When you have a company, the number one shareholder is the government. We need an enabling environment from the government, and as corporate citizens, we must pay our taxes. I cannot cheat my partner. If I pay tax, children can go to school and hospitals can function. The government has huge demands, and we must do our part,” he added.

The businessman dismissed what he described as over-reliance on foreign investors, insisting that no external investor would commit to Nigeria without strong domestic participation.

He said, “We should stop calling for foreign investors. No foreign investor will come here unless domestic investors are active. Good policies, governance, and rule of law attract local investors, and foreign investors follow to partner or establish their own operations.

Dangote reiterated that industrialisation must be led by Nigerians, saying “We must industrialise our country. Nobody will do it but us. Once we industrialise, foreigners will partner with us or invest in Nigeria. We must remove both real and perceived risks to investment.”

The businessman also revealed that the Dangote Refinery would soon produce surplus volumes, with projections indicating that by February, it will supply 15–20 million litres more than Nigeria needs.

This will allow exports to neighbouring countries, reducing fuel scarcity across West Africa.

“We are working to make Nigeria the refining hub of Africa. African countries import products, and we want to ensure that whatever we consume is produced locally,” he said.

Earlier in October, Dangote had also encouraged Nigerians to embrace homegrown products as a way to strengthen the economy and create jobs.

"If you have money to buy Rolls-Royce, you should take that money and go put up an industry in your locality or any part of the country. Everybody has a private jet. Those private jets should be in industries so we can create jobs." — Alike Dangote, chairman of Dangote Group pic.twitter.com/fKx4dpQiKU

— TheCable (@thecableng) December 6, 2025

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Business

NNPC serviced $3bn loan with N991bn crude – Report

Published

2 days ago

December 6, 2025

Newsbreak365_Admin

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has serviced part of its $3bn forward-sale loan from the African Export-Import Bank with crude oil worth N991bn in 2024, according to its 2024 financial statement report. The repayment was tied to Project Gazelle, a forward crude oil supply agreement signed in 2023.

On August 17, 2023, The PUNCH reported that the NNPC announced it had secured a $3.3bn emergency loan to repay crude oil obligations from Afreximbank. It explained that the loan would be used by the oil company to support the Federal Government in stabilising Nigeria’s exchange rate.

“The NNPC Ltd. and AFREXIM bank have jointly signed a commitment letter and Termsheet for an emergency $3bn crude oil repayment loan,” NNPC said in a statement.

“The signing, which took place today at the bank’s headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, will provide some immediate disbursement that will enable the NNPC Ltd. to support the Federal Government in its ongoing fiscal and monetary policy reforms aimed at stabilising the exchange rate market,” it added.

Under the deal, NNPC committed to deliver 90,000 barrels of crude oil per day from Production Sharing Contract assets to back a funding facility. According to the 2023 financial statement, a drawdown of $2.25bn had already been achieved by 31st December 2023, with principal repayment scheduled to begin in June 2024.

The funding carried an interest rate of 3-month LIBOR plus 6.5 per cent, with a 6 per cent margin and 0.5 per cent liquidity premium.

According to the 2024 financial statement, the drawdown on the facility had reached N4.9tn out of a total available N5.1tn, while N991bn worth of crude oil had been lifted in repayment, leaving an outstanding balance of N3.8tn at the end of 2024.

The report read, “In December 2023, NNPC Limited entered into a forward sale agreement with Project Gazelle Funding Limited to supply 90,000 bbl. of crude oil per day from Production Sharing Contract Assets for the settlement of a 5-year N2.7tn funding.

“The funding was utilised by the company to finance an advance payment of future taxes and royalty obligations due to the federation on PSC assets managed by the Company on behalf of the Federation.

“As at 31st December 2024, a drawdown of N4.9tn has been achieved from the initial facility of N5.1tn. The interest rate for the facility is 3-month SOFA plus 6.5 per cent while the margin and Liquidity Premium of 0.5 per cent respectively. A total value of Crude Oil worth N991bn has been lifted with a balance of N3.8tn as at 31st December 2024.”

The repayment was made between June and December 2024. However, NNPC did not disclose the identity of the offtakers or exact delivery volumes fulfilled in 2024.

The Project Gazelle arrangement has become one of NNPC’s most significant forward-sale financing vehicles, following a trend of oil-backed loans designed to shore up government revenues, refinance legacy debts, and meet budgetary obligations amid limited fiscal buffers.

The PUNCH earlier reported that the NNPC Ltd is burdened with crude-backed loan obligations estimated at N8.07tn.

The liabilities stretch across multiple forward-sale and project-financing arrangements that are expected to be serviced through substantial crude oil and gas deliveries. The commitments have become a major pillar of NNPCL’s funding structure following years of fiscal pressure, volatile crude production, and declining upstream investment.

Several of the facilities were used to refinance older debts, fund refinery rehabilitation, support cash flow, and meet government revenue obligations.

When assessed together, the company’s major crude-for-loan facilities—Eagle Export Funding (21,000 bpd), Project Yield (67,000 bpd), Project Leopard (35,000 bpd), and Project Gazelle (90,000 bpd)—represent a combined commitment of 213,000 barrels per day, in addition to separate gas-delivery obligations under the NLNG arrangement.

The volume equates to a sizeable share of Nigeria’s daily crude output, underscoring the long-term implications of these arrangements for government revenue, export allocation, and operational flexibility.

The PUNCH also reported that Nigeria’s gross profit from crude oil and gas sales plunged by N824.66bn in 2024 despite a rebound in oil production, according to figures from the Budget Implementation Report for the fourth quarter of 2024 released by the Budget Office of the Federation.

Data from the report revealed that gross profit from crude and gas sales fell to N1.08tn during the year, from N1.90tn in 2023, representing a 43.32 per cent decline.

The Chief Executive Officer of AHA Strategies and oil and gas expert, Mr Ademola Adigun, earlier linked Nigeria’s declining oil earnings to opaque crude-for-cash agreements and undisclosed loan repayments that have tied up part of the country’s crude output.

He said some of the government’s oil barrels were already committed to debt settlements and forward-sale contracts, reducing the actual volume that brought fresh revenue into the Federation Account.

Adigun said, “Some of our crude is already tied up in loan agreements. The problem is that Nigeria doesn’t know the full details of these transactions because there’s little transparency around them.”

He explained that several crude-backed projects, such as Project Gazelle, were carried out without proper public disclosure or parliamentary scrutiny.

He added that the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative should strengthen its audits to determine how much of the country’s crude is being used for debt repayment or swap transactions.

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Business

Yuletide: Dangote assures Nigerians of stable fuel supply

Published

2 days ago

December 6, 2025

Newsbreak365_Admin

Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, on Friday said Nigerians will no longer experience fuel queues during the Christmas and New Year seasons.

Briefing State House correspondents after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, Dangote said his refinery has formally notified the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority of its readiness to deliver 50 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit daily, far above national consumption.

He said, “Historically, Nigeria has battled fuel queues since 1972. For the first time, we are eliminating those queues, not through imports but by producing locally.

“Even when we were servicing the refinery, there were no queues. I can assure you that queues are now history.”

Dangote stated that the refinery will soon produce surplus volumes, adding that by February, it will supply 15–20 million litres more than Nigeria needs.

This, he argued, will allow exports to neighbouring countries, reducing the incidence of fuel scarcity across West Africa.

The industrialist also disclosed that domestic manufacturers, especially in the plastics industry, will now enjoy reliable access to locally produced feedstock, ending years of reliance on imports estimated at $400m annually.

Dangote also announced an expansion programme that will raise refinery capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day by 2028, surpassing India’s Reliance refinery, the world’s largest, at 1.25 million barrels per day.

“We have already signed the necessary agreements.

“Construction piling begins before the end of January, and we will deliver on schedule,” he announced.

He revealed plans to scale up the company’s urea production to 12 million tonnes annually, positioning Nigeria to overtake Russia and Qatar as the world’s leading producer.

“Our goal is to use our fertilizer company to supply the entire African continent,” Dangote said.

Dangote attributed the recent drop in petrol and diesel prices to increased competition and reduced smuggling.

“Prices are going down because we must compete with imports.

“Luckily, smuggling has dropped significantly, though not completely,” he explained.

He noted that the refinery business is a long-term national investment, saying, “We’re not here to recover $20 billion overnight.

“The legacy I want to leave is that whatever Nigerians need, fuel, fertiliser, power, we will be part of delivering it.”

Dangote further highlighted logistics constraints affecting Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, particularly the congestion of major ports.

“Apapa is full. Tin Can is full. Lekki is mainly for containers.

“You cannot export coal or copper if you have nowhere to ship from,” he noted.

To curb this, he explained that the Group is developing what would become West Africa’s largest deep-sea port at Olokola, expected to be completed in two to two-and-a-half years.

The Kano-born businessman expressed support for the Tinubu administration’s naira-for-crude initiative, describing it as a patriotic move to strengthen the economy, although he acknowledged pushback from international oil companies.

According to him, “It’s a teething problem, but it will be resolved, either through legislation or administrative action.”

On concerns about global competition, Dangote maintained that the refinery will thrive.

He said, “What we want is to make Nigeria the refining hub of Africa. All African countries import fuel. We want what we consume to be produced here.”

He also endorsed the government’s Nigeria-first industrial policy and urged wealthy Nigerians to channel resources into productive investment rather than luxury spending.

“If you have money for a private jet, invest in industries and create jobs,” he stated, adding that domestic investors must drive industrialisation to attract foreign capital.

Dangote acknowledged past hurdles, policy instability, smuggling, and factory closures, but expressed optimism that the country is now on a stable path toward sustainable industrial growth.

“Domestic investors must lead the way. Once they do, foreign investors will follow.

“Nobody advertises a good restaurant; when the food is good, word spreads,” he explained.

He described his meeting with President Tinubu as a routine consultation on the economy and business environment, noting that it was “a very fruitful meeting.”

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