EIA logo image used by Punch
2025-12-14
According to The Punch, Nigeria’s imports of crude oil from the United States surged by 153% in 2025 (February–September), reflecting changing supply economics and refinery demand.
Punch cited U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) trade data showing Nigeria imported 39.99 million barrels over the period, up from 15.79 million barrels in the same window of 2024, with shipments rising month by month.
Reuters earlier reported that the U.S. became a net exporter of crude to Nigeria for the first time in February and March 2025, a shift linked to changing refinery runs and demand signals connected to the Dangote refinery’s operations.
TheCable also referenced EIA figures, noting the scale of Nigeria’s U.S. crude inflows and how the pattern departs from Nigeria’s typical position as a crude exporter rather than an importer.
Analysis/Echotitbits take: The bigger story is market efficiency colliding with domestic supply constraints: if local refineries keep buying competitively priced imported crude, Nigeria’s long-standing “crude exporter, product importer” paradox could morph into a new paradox: importing crude for local refining. Watch for tighter enforcement (or redesign) of domestic crude supply frameworks, and whether lower logistics/contracting frictions can make local crude more reliable for local refineries.
Source: The Punch — 14 Dec 2025 (https://punchng.com/us-crude-exports-to-nigeria-surge-153/)
