Kehinde Fajobi
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has started exporting refined petroleum products, a move that could significantly reshape fuel markets across West Africa.
According to a report by Bloomberg on Tuesday, supported by data from platforms like Vortexa, Kpler, and Precise Intelligence, a shipment of over 300,000 barrels of gasoline was transported by the tanker CL Jane Austen from the refinery to waters near Togo.
This marks a milestone in the refinery’s operations, with its products reaching neighbouring markets.
Ghana’s National Petroleum Authority (NPA) Chairman, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, recently highlighted the potential benefits of sourcing fuel from the Dangote Refinery instead of Europe.
Speaking at the OTL Africa Downstream Oil Conference in Lagos last month, he explained that importing from Nigeria would save Ghana millions of dollars in freight costs.
“If the refinery reaches 650,000 barrels per day capacity, all that volume cannot be consumed by Nigeria alone.
“So instead of us importing as we do right now from Rotterdam, it will be much easier for us to import from Nigeria, and I believe that will bring down our prices,” he said.
Reports also indicate that the refinery is in advanced talks to export fuel to South Africa, Angola, and Namibia. Discussions have also begun with Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso, and the Central African Republic.
According to The Punch, reliable source disclosed, “Talks are at an advanced stage with Ghana, Angola, Namibia, and South Africa, while initial discussions are ongoing with Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso, and the Central African Republic.”
The gasoline shipment is currently floating off the coast of Lomé, Togo. It may be part of a ship-to-ship transfer, with its final destination yet to be confirmed.
The area is frequently used for such operations, suggesting the cargo could be redirected to other locations.
While the shipment is modest compared to global trade volumes, it signals the refinery’s readiness to scale up production and expand exports.
Last month, Dangote Refinery shipped its first cargo of gasoline to Lagos, demonstrating the facility’s growing operational capacity.
In regulatory developments, the Federal Government has ended the Nigerian National Petroleum Company’s monopoly on domestic purchases from the refinery, allowing continued fuel imports from Europe and the US.
The refinery’s management has not commented on the recent developments, according to Bloomberg.
However, experts believe that Dangote Refinery’s growing production capacity could play a pivotal role in reducing Africa’s reliance on imported fuel.