The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has initiated the export of refined petroleum products to neighbouring West African nations, indicating a potential shift in regional fuel markets.
Recently, a tanker transported over 300,000 barrels of gasoline from the refinery to waters off Togo.
Ghana has expressed interest in sourcing petroleum products from the refinery to reduce its reliance on costly European imports, which have cost the country about $400 million each month.
The move would not only cut costs but also provide a more convenient option for importing fuel.
Discussions are also underway to expand exports to South Africa, Angola, and Namibia.
Additionally, Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso, and the Central African Republic are in preliminary talks with Dangote to begin importing fuel.
Although the shipment is relatively small in global terms, it signals the refinery’s growing production capacity and potential influence on regional fuel markets.
The shipment, which is currently near Togo, could be transferred elsewhere, as the area is known for ship-to-ship transfers.
The refinery, which recently shipped its first seaborne gasoline cargo to Lagos, has begun to challenge the domestic fuel supply dynamics, despite ongoing fuel imports from Europe and the US.
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