The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has cut Nigeria’s aviation fuel imports from 13,000 to 5,000 barrels per day in 2024, dominating the market.

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Dangote Petroleum Refinery has significantly reduced Nigeria’s importation of aviation fuel from 13,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 2023 to just 5,000 bpd in 2024, according to a report by Energy Intelligence.

This remarkable decline reflects the refinery’s swift emergence as a major supplier of jet fuel, having only begun production less than six months ago.

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Currently, Dangote jet fuel accounts for at least two-thirds of Nigeria’s total jet fuel supply and nearly half of the fuel consumed across West Africa, showcasing the refinery’s rapid impact on the regional market.

The report indicates that Nigeria’s jet fuel imports have drastically decreased, from 13,000 bpd last year—when they constituted the entirety of the country’s supply—to merely 5,000 bpd in 2024.

In tandem, West Africa’s jet fuel imports from outside the region have also fallen from 34,500 bpd in 2023 to 17,900 bpd this year.

The refinery has exported approximately 1.1 million tonnes (equivalent to 35,000 bpd) of jet fuel since commencing exports in March, with shipments predominantly directed to West African countries, including Benin, Senegal, Togo, The Gambia, and Gabon.

Notably, Dangote has also sent nearly 290,000 tonnes of Jet A1 to Europe and 315,000 tonnes to South America, with the remaining volumes primarily servicing West African markets.

Despite this robust export activity, domestic sales of Dangote jet fuel have increased since September, as the refinery now caters to a growing local demand.

Energy Intelligence estimates that since April, an additional 94,000 tonnes of Dangote jet fuel have been distributed to various ports within Nigeria, mainly in Lagos.

The management of the refinery had previously indicated that around three-quarters of its jet fuel production would be allocated for maritime export, with the remainder transported via road tankers for inland distribution.

Foluso Sobanjo, Managing Director of Asharami Synergy, noted that Dangote’s pricing is competitive, often offering a discount of $2 to $3 per metric tonne compared to imported fuel.

As production ramps up, prices for Dangote jet fuel have declined, despite substantial volumes of Middle Eastern and Asian jet fuel passing Nigeria on their way to Europe.

Sources reveal that the refinery is now operating at more than 300,000 bpd and recently began selling gasoline, marking a significant step in its operational expansion.

Sobanjo also addressed local media claims that Dangote had initiated the sale of jet fuel in Nigerian naira, clarifying that such reports were incorrect.