NEWS
US Hails DPRP as Nigeria’s Petroleum Exports Surge Seven Times
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals (DPRP) has been identified as the key driver behind a seven-fold increase in Nigeria’s seaborne petroleum product exports since 2023, according to the latest report by the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA).
The U.S. agency disclosed that Nigeria’s seaborne petroleum product shipments averaged 561,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the second quarter of 2026, a significant increase from the annual average of 79,000 bpd recorded in 2023.
According to the EIA, the growth in exports has strengthened Nigeria’s position in the international petroleum products market at a time when supplies from several other regions have faced constraints.
The agency noted that the increase was largely underpinned by the commencement of operations at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in January 2024. Data from energy intelligence firm Vortexa showed that of the 561,000 bpd shipped during the second quarter of 2026, about 350,000 bpd were exported, compared to an annual average of 46,000 bpd in 2023.
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The EIA stated that increased production from the refinery has transformed Nigeria’s petroleum products market by reducing dependence on imports and boosting domestic supply.
“With increased supply of petroleum products from the country’s largest refinery, imports fell, exports increased, and Nigeria became more self-sufficient in refined petroleum products,” the agency said.
Before the start-up of the Dangote Refinery, Nigeria’s state-owned refineries collectively shipped less than 100,000 bpd of petroleum products, both domestically and internationally. The EIA observed that shipments rose significantly following the refinery’s commencement of operations and received a further boost after maintenance and expansion activities were completed in February 2026.
The agency explained that the refinery’s crude distillation capacity increased from 650,000 bpd to 700,000 bpd following the completion of the expansion programme, enabling higher output and greater product availability.
According to the report, total petroleum product shipments increased further as supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz created additional demand for alternative sources of refined products.
The EIA reported that intra-Nigerian shipments reached 211,000 bpd in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 81,000 bpd in 2025 and 33,000 bpd in 2023, reflecting the refinery’s growing role in supplying fuel across the country.
By providing refined petroleum products to different regions of Nigeria, the Dangote Refinery has significantly reduced the nation’s reliance on imported fuels. Nigeria, which imported nearly 400,000 bpd of petroleum products in 2023, saw seaborne imports decline to less than 130,000 bpd by the second quarter of 2026, according to the report.
The EIA also highlighted growing demand for Nigerian petroleum products in international markets. Vortexa data cited in the report showed that exports to Europe averaged 130,000 bpd in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 40,000 bpd in 2025 and 15,000 bpd in 2023.
The report underscores the increasing importance of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in enhancing Nigeria’s energy security, supporting regional fuel supply, and positioning the country as a major exporter of refined petroleum products to global markets.
Recall that Dangote Refinery has announced plans to bring an additional 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) of fully complex refining capacity on stream by the end of 2028. This would be added to its current capacity of about 700,000 bpd, potentially taking total capacity to around 1.4 million bpd. The refinery’s CEO, David Bird, said long-lead equipment has already been procured and construction contracts are being awarded
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has reacted to a fresh financial controversy involving former Anambra State Governor and 2027 presidential candidate Peter Obi, after the Anambra State Government released records detailing loans and other liabilities it said were linked to his administration.
Keyamo, in a post on X on Wednesday, September 16, reacted to the development with a brief remark “This is serious.”
The reaction came shortly after the Anambra Government published a three-page statement titled “Gov Peter Obi and Record of Public Debt in Anambra: Facts Beyond Propaganda and Lies.”
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In the statement, the state government said Obi’s administration left behind eight external borrowings when he left office on March 17, 2014.
According to the government, the loans had an original combined value of $123.77 million, while the outstanding balance stood at $92.35 million as of June 30, 2026, equivalent to about ₦127.37 billion at the official exchange rate.
The loans listed included projects covering malaria control, healthcare, education, erosion and watershed management, community development and agricultural value-chain development.
The government said the loans were being serviced by subsequent administrations.
The state also challenged Obi’s claim that he left more than ₦2.13 billion in an ecological fund before leaving office.
Anambra Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Law Mefor, said the government obtained a certified printout of the First Bank account identified by Obi and claimed that it was an internally generated revenue consolidated account rather than an ecological fund account.
He further said the government’s records did not show the ₦2.13 billion balance claimed by Obi.
The government also disputed Obi’s claim that his administration left office without outstanding salaries, pensions and gratuities. It said the Soludo administration had cleared about ₦22 billion in inherited gratuity arrears, while alleging that some liabilities involving retired teachers and Water Corporation workers remained.
The latest claims followed Obi’s rejection of earlier allegations concerning his administration’s financial record.
Obi had maintained that his government cleared historical arrears and said that, at the point of handover, the state owed nothing in salaries, gratuities, pensions or certified contractor obligations.
He also said the ecological fund was deliberately left untouched for the incoming administration because it was meant for a specific erosion project.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Ilorin, Kwara State, for the turbaning of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as the Sardauna of Ilorin and the commissioning of the Kwara Garment Factory.
The Vice President’s arrival was disclosed on Wednesday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President.
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Shettima was received by Governor AbdulRazaq and other dignitaries, including Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji, Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya and Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris.
The governors are in Ilorin to show solidarity with AbdulRazaq, who also serves as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, as he receives the traditional title from the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, at the Emir’s Palace.
Shettima is also expected to commission the Kwara Garment Factory, one of the state’s major industrial projects aimed at boosting local production and creating employment opportunities.
The Akwa Ibom State Government has announced that unregistered commercial tricycles and buses will no longer be allowed to operate on roads across the state from October 1, 2026.
The governor disclosed this on Wednesday while announcing a September 30 deadline for all commercial tricycle and bus operators to complete their registration and obtain identification numbers and QR codes.
According to the governor, the directive is part of measures to strengthen security and ensure that commercial transport operators can be properly identified and tracked where necessary.
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The governor said, “I have directed all commercial tricycle and bus operators in Akwa Ibom State to complete their registration and obtain identification numbers and QR codes on or before September 30, 2026.
“After the deadline, no unregistered public transport vehicle will be allowed to operate on our roads.
“This is part of our effort to strengthen security and ensure that commercial transport operators can be properly identified and tracked where necessary.”
The governor also inspected several ongoing projects and facilities, including the CNG Bus Terminal, Victor Attah International Airport Hospital, Aviation Staff Quarters and Dakkada Luxury Estate.
He said work was progressing at the facilities, adding that the CNG transport facilities were expected to become operational by November.
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