Nigeria Exports 80% of Crude Output as Domestic Refineries Crave Supply

Data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission shows that in Q1 2026, oil companies exported nearly 80% of the country’s crude oil despite growing local refining demand. Out of 139.93 million barrels produced, only 28.5 million barrels (20.1%) went to domestic refineries, including the Dangote Refinery. The rest—111.43 million barrels—was shipped abroad even after allocations under the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation framework. Monthly breakdowns reveal that producers often offered more crude than allocated but delivered far less due to pricing disputes with refiners. In January, for example, 25.3 million barrels were offered against an allocation of 22.6 million, yet only 9.2 million barrels were supplied. Shortfalls have forced the Dangote Refinery to import millions of barrels from the United States, Brazil and Angola in 2025. The regulator points to the “willing buyer, willing seller” system as a key factor driving export volumes over domestic supply.

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