Contrary to claims by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that fuel imports will end by early 2021, the country has resumed importation of petrol from China, the world’s top crude oil importer. According to data from the General Administration of Customs as obtained by S&P Global Platts, the Asian country shipped 37,000 metric tonnes of petrol to Nigeria in September for the first time since July 2019 China, a major exporter of transportation fuels, has extended exports to Africa in recent years.

Platts revealed that the first African country to receive Chinese petrol was Togo in April 2018 at 50,000MT, followed by Nigeria in January 2019 at 51,000MT, historical GAC data showed. The most recent diesel exports from China to Africa were in June, with Kenya and South Africa receiving 40,000 mt and 35,000 mt, respectively, according to the data. According to the United States Energy Information Administration, China’s annual crude oil imports increased by 0.9 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2019 to an average of 10.1 million bpd. The EIA said China’s new refinery capacity and strategic inventory stockpiling, combined with flat domestic oil production, were the major factors contributing to the increase in its crude oil imports in 2019.

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