Nigeria’s fuel import landscape is undergoing a major shake-up as purchases of refined petroleum products from Malta plunged by 60 percent in 2024 an outcome closely tied to rising output from the Dangote Refinery.
According to new TradeMap figures, Nigeria imported about $818 million worth of petroleum oils from Malta in 2024, down sharply from the $2.1 billion recorded in 2023. The sudden spike in 2023 had raised eyebrows, especially since Nigeria recorded virtually no fuel imports from Malta between 2017 and 2022.
Industry watchers previously linked the unexpected surge to alleged blending operations and unusual shipment routes. At the time, Dangote Group chairman Aliko Dangote accused some NNPC personnel, oil traders and terminals of operating a fuel-blending facility in Malta—sparking debates about transparency, foreign exchange losses and the integrity of Nigeria’s fuel supply chain.
Also Read: Ogoni Youths Faults Naming Of New University
The narrative is shifting, however, as the 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Petroleum Refinery ramps up operations. The refinery began producing diesel and aviation fuel earlier in 2024, with petrol coming onstream later in the year.
Energy analysts say the increase in local refining is already reshaping import patterns. By the first quarter of 2025, Nigeria’s petrol import bill had fallen by 54 percent year-on-year, largely due to strengthened domestic supply. Another shipping industry report noted a 39 percent drop in Nigeria’s seaborne imports of clean petroleum products in the first seven months of 2025, following Dangote’s operational takeoff.
Overall, the data suggest Nigeria is gradually reducing its reliance on foreign fuel particularly from Malta as its own refining capacity expands.
