Dangote Refinery breaks new ground as US imports over 2m barrels of jet fuel
Onome Amuge
Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals, the largest single-train refinery globally, has made its presence felt beyond Africa and the Middle East, with the United States importing over two million barrels of jet fuel from the Nigerian-based facility in March.
An analysis by the ship-tracking service Kpler has revealed that six vessels carrying approximately 1.7 million barrels of jet fuel sourced from Dangote Petroleum Refinery arrived at various ports across the United States in March.
In addition, the Hafnia Andromeda, laden with 348,000 barrels of jet fuel produced by the Nigerian refinery, is expected to berth at the Everglades terminal in the US on the 29th of March.
The shipments of jet fuel from Dangote Refinery, the largest single-train refinery in Africa, is considered a turning point in the global fuel trade. As evidenced by these shipments, the Nigerian refinery is set to emerge as a major player in the Atlantic Basin, challenging the conventional supply chains and establishing itself as a new swing supplier in the region.
Having already disrupted the Middle Eastern market with its jet fuel exports to Saudi Arabia, Dangote Petroleum Refinery is now eyeing the world’s largest fuel-consuming nation, the United States, as its next frontier.
With three shipments of approximately 130 million litres of jet fuel reaching Saudi Arabia from Nigeria, the refinery has proven its ability to rival European refiners in the global fuel market, underscoring its competitiveness in the gasoline (PMS) exports.
The success of Dangote Petroleum Refinery on the global stage is a significant achievement for Nigeria and its people, according to industry experts, as it validates the exceptional quality of the refinery’s products and the international community’s trust in the Dangote brand.
Steven Barsamian, chief operating officer of TankTiger noted that the surge in demand, partly driven by the influx of supply from Nigeria, is expected to lower jet fuel prices in the US ahead of the peak summer travel season.
Citing trade analysts and storage brokers, Barsamian observed that US jet fuel imports from Dangote Refinery are expected to decrease aviation fuel prices during the summer period. This is as US jet fuel imports in March have averaged around 226,000 bpd, the highest since February 2023, underlining the global demand for products from Dangote Refinery.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery, which marked its official entry into the world’s energy market in January 2024, has rapidly established itself as a formidable player on the global stage. Within a short span of time, the refinery’s products have reached almost every continent, making their mark across the world.
While the temporary closure of the Phillips 66 Bayway refinery in New Jersey contributed to the surge in US imports, analysts attribute Dangote’s success in securing these shipments to its growing reputation as a high-quality, cost-competitive supplier of refined products.
Speaking on the development, Muda Yusuf, chief executive officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprises (CPPE), stated that the landmark achievement not only underscores the exceptional quality and standards of Dangote’s refined products but also highlights the high level of trust that the international community has placed in the Nigerian-based refinery’s capabilities.
“Nothing could be more prideful for us as a country than the fact that we now have a refinery producing products that can be exported to the United States. It speaks to the quality, standards, and trust that international communities have in Dangote Refinery, because these are markets that don’t compromise on quality. They have stringent standards, and if they deem it worthy to import from Nigeria, it is a source of great pride,” the renowned economist said.
The former director-general of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) further pointed out that Dangote Refinery is enhancing Nigeria’s position on the global stage and should be supported by both citizens and the government.
“That is why all of us—citizens and the government—should do everything to support the refinery, as it is breaking many barriers and boosting our country’s reputation. The lesson here is that we should support the Dangote Refinery and other refineries with similar capacities, as they can provide us with significant leverage,” he added.