Nigeria’s Dangote Petroleum Refinery has emerged as Europe’s leading overseas supplier of jet fuel, surpassing the United States after shipping an estimated 466,000 metric tonnes of aviation fuel to the region in June, according to fresh figures from S&P Global Commodity Insights.
The export volume, estimated at about 582.5 million litres of aviation fuel, had an approximate value of ₦757 billion, or roughly $553 million, based on a domestic market price of ₦1,300 per litre.
The export is the largest Nigeria has recorded to Europe since the country attained net exporter status for jet fuel in 2024 after the Dangote Petroleum Refinery began production.
Data from S&P Global Commodity Insights’s Commodities at Sea (CAS) showed that Nigeria’s jet fuel exports to Europe climbed from 232,000 metric tonnes in May to 466,000 metric tonnes in June, while shipments from the United States declined significantly from 560,000 metric tonnes to 399,000 metric tonnes during the same period.
Before the recent decline, the United States had reached a record high of 818,000 metric tonnes of jet fuel exports to Europe in April.
The increase in Nigerian exports comes even as Europe’s jet fuel market has softened. According to S&P Global Commodity Insights, the Northwest Europe jet fuel benchmark dropped from a record $1,694.25 per metric tonne in March to $981.75 per metric tonne by the end of June, driven by strong refinery production and lower-than-anticipated summer aviation demand, which resulted in an oversupplied market.
Speaking to Platts, a European fuel trader said the market surplus was fuelled by higher output from regional refineries alongside increased jet fuel shipments from the United States and the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The latest export figures underscore the speed at which the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has established itself as a major supplier in the global fuel market.
Following the start of its operations, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has consistently expanded shipments of petrol, diesel and jet fuel to customers in Africa, Europe and other international markets, playing a key role in shifting Nigeria from heavy dependence on imported fuels to becoming an important exporter of refined petroleum products.
The refinery’s expanding presence supports the wider goal of Dangote Industries to establish a stronger energy network across Africa. The company recently disclosed plans to invest an additional $46 billion between 2026 and 2028 in its refining, cement and fertiliser operations.
Under the expansion plan, Dangote Industries intends to build a 700,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Kenya, adding to its planned refining capacity of 1.4 million barrels per day in Nigeria.
If completed as planned, the projects would establish a combined refining capacity of 2.1 million barrels per day across West and East Africa, boosting the region’s energy security while reducing reliance on imported refined petroleum products.
Although the Dangote Petroleum Refinery expanded its share of the European market in June, competition is likely to increase as additional suppliers resume exports.
According to S&P Global Commodity Insights, improving navigation through the Suez Canal and the recovery of refinery operations in the Middle East are expected to increase fuel shipments from leading producers.
Saudi Arabia raised its jet fuel exports to Europe from 7,000 metric tonnes in May to 106,000 metric tonnes in June, while shipments from India increased from 129,000 metric tonnes to 197,000 metric tonnes over the same period.
Analysts also expect refiners to channel more production into diesel, which is currently delivering higher profit margins than aviation fuel. Nevertheless, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s record export performance in June demonstrates its growing capacity to rival long-established global suppliers and shape fuel trade beyond the African market.
