Nigeria’s import of crude oil from the United States more than doubled in the first eight months of 2025, rising by 101 per cent, according to new data from the US Energy Information Administration.
The figures show that the country imported 31.69 million barrels between February and August 2025, compared to 15.79 million barrels in the same period of 2024. The increase of 15.9 million barrels reflects a significant shift in sourcing, driven by supply pressures and the need to stabilise domestic fuel output.
There was no record of such an import in January in either year, according to available data. A breakdown of the numbers shows strong month-on-month increases across most of the period under review.
In February, imports stood at 3.11 million barrels, below the 3.61 million barrels recorded in 2024. This represents a decline of 13.8 per cent, or 500,000 barrels. Volumes rose sharply in March, reaching 5.25 million barrels, up from 3.42 million barrels in the corresponding month last year.
The gain amounted to 1.83 million barrels, representing a 53.5 per cent increase.
In April, imports totalled 2.04 million barrels, up from 1.54 million barrels in April 2024. The difference of 497,000 barrels marked a 32.3 per cent rise. May recorded 3.79 million barrels, against 2.08 million barrels a year earlier. This represented a growth of 1.71 million barrels, or 82.4 per cent.
A major spike occurred in June, when imports climbed to 9.16 million barrels, far above the 1.04 million barrels recorded in June 2024. The increase of 8.12 million barrels translated to a 782.3 per cent surge, the highest jump in the period.
In July, imports rose slightly to 4.17 million barrels, compared to 4.10 million barrels last year. The difference of 73,000 barrels reflected a 1.8 per cent increase. The import figure for August 2025, which stood at 4.17 million barrels, lacked a direct comparison because the EIA did not publish data for August 2024.
The rising inflow of US crude highlights Nigeria’s continued reliance on foreign barrels amid inconsistent domestic crude supply and the ongoing transition in local refining. With crude production still below target levels and refinery operations picking up, US light sweet grades have remained a key option for meeting supply needs.
The volatility and eventual surge indicate that the Dangote Refinery’s crude intake is entering a steady ramp-up, with US light sweet crude favoured for its compatibility with complex refining processes. However, the rising reliance on imported US barrels highlights a longstanding paradox for Nigeria.
Despite being Africa’s biggest oil producer and an OPEC member, it has historically exported crude while importing refined products because its state refineries are moribund.
The Dangote refinery was expected to address this by using domestic crude oil to reduce reliance on imports. However, the latest data show it is still relying on foreign supply to optimise operations.
The year-on-year surge of over 100 per cent, alongside the rapid month-on-month escalation in 2025, signals a structural shift in Nigeria’s crude import profile. The Federal Government earlier disclosed that a total of 67,657,559 barrels of crude oil were supplied to local refiners for processing between January and August 2025.
This figure, confirmed by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, highlights the ongoing challenges in bridging the crude allocation gap faced by indigenous refineries, despite Nigeria’s rising production levels.
The commission noted that crude allocation was made in line with the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 and the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation policy.
According to the commission, through its Head of Media and Strategic Communications, Eniola Akinkuotu, the barrels were delivered to both modular and state-owned refining facilities, including Waltersmith, Aradel Energy, and refineries under the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
“A total of 67,657,559 barrels were delivered to local refiners between January and August this year. All refiners got that amount within the eight-month period,” Akinkuotu noted in a statement.
However, the volume supplied fell short of refiners’ demand by a wide margin. Local processors had requested 123,480,500 barrels for the first half of 2025, meaning they received 55,822,941 barrels—or about 45 per cent—less than required to meet their refining targets.
Earlier this year, the NUPRC projected that refineries such as Port Harcourt, Warri, Dangote, and others would require 770,500 barrels per day, translating to 23.8 million barrels per month, or 123.4 million barrels for the first half of 2025.
Yet, actual deliveries have not matched these forecasts. Instead, Nigeria’s crude and condensate production climbed to 1.63 million barrels per day in August, with much of it still destined for export.
For months, refinery owners have complained about difficulties in accessing crude oil locally. They allege that producers prefer selling to international buyers who pay in dollars, leaving domestic refiners struggling under the pressure of exchange rates.
It was earlier reported that the $20bn Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lagos relies heavily on US imports to feed its processing units. The refinery imported an average of 10 million barrels in July, stating that it was increasingly relying on the US for its feedstock, despite the naira-for-crude deal with the Federal Government.
Data from commodities analytics firm Kpler showed that in July, US barrels accounted for approximately 60 per cent of Dangote’s 590,000 barrels per day of crude intake, with Nigerian grades making up the remaining 40 per cent.
In July, the Dangote refinery’s crude imports surged to a record 590 kbd—driven largely by US barrels overtaking Nigerian supply for the first time—amid ongoing domestic sourcing challenges, Kpler reports.
As crude imports into the Dangote refinery surged to 590,000 bpd in July, the highest monthly volume on record, Kpler noted that US crude made up a substantial 370,000bpd (60 per cent) of the total, while Nigerian grades accounted for just 220,000 bpd (40 per cent), primarily comprising Amenam, Bonny Light, and Escravos.
“While WTI has held a significant share in Dangote’s import slate since March, this is the first time US crude has overtaken Nigerian supply—a shift driven by several factors,” Kpler reported.
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