Nigeria’s export profile to African markets is beginning a notable shift from crude-only trade dominance, as new figures from the National Bureau of Statistics showed a sharp rise in the export of refined petroleum products, signalling the country’s transition into a continental fuel supplier. According to an analysis of the latest third-quarter Foreign Trade Statistics Report of the bureau, sales of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) emerged as Nigeria’s second-largest export commodity to other African countries. Petrol export was valued at N707.05bn and accounted for 14.42 per cent of total shipments to the continent. Only crude oil, which generated N1.94tn or 39.57 per cent, earned more during the period. The surge in refined product exports comes months after the Dangote Petroleum Refinery commenced operations. Further analysis by our correspondent revealed that there were no recorded sales in the first and second quarters of the year, with commercial activity only taking off between July and September 2025. Together, the top five export commodities, including crude oil and specialised marine vessels, accounted for 86.08 per cent of Nigeria’s shipments to the continent. The report read, “Analysis by commodities showed that the main commodities exported to African countries in the quarter under review were ‘petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude’ valued at N1.94tn accounting for 39.57 per cent of total exports to Africa, ‘Motor Spirit, Ordinary’ with N707.05bn or 14.42 per cent, ‘Gas oil’ with N692.08bn or 14.12 per cent, ‘Lightvessels, fire-floats, floating cranes, and other vessels not specified in 8905’ N497.96bn or 10.16 per cent, and ‘Kerosine type jet fuel’ with N383.02bn or 7.81 per cent.

Punch