Nigeria








Energy Markets

Oil & Gas

Oil & Gas

Nigeria's economy records its fastest growth rate in four years

Nigeria's economy grew by 4.23% on an annual basis in the second quarter. This was its fastest pace in four years. The increase in oil production and improved performance in industry and agriculture were major factors. The statistics agency released the data on Monday, the second time that it has rebased the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), in order to capture structural changes in the economy of Africa’s most populous nation. Nigeria's average daily oil output increased to 1.68 million barrels (bpd), up from the 1.41 million bpd recorded in the same quarter in 2024. The oil sector grew by 20.46%...

Oil & Gas

Nigeria leads the continent-wide campaign for unification of oil regulations

The Nigerian oil regulator announced that African oil regulators, led by Nigeria, have launched a forum to harmonise oil regulation. This is in an effort to attract investment in the rapidly growing energy sector in the region. African oil regulators, due to the decline in investment dollars, are betting on a more transparent and consistent energy market that is integrated across all jurisdictions. Sixteen countries gathered at Accra for the signing of the charter establishing African Petroleum Regulators Forum. Gbenga Kmolafe was the chairperson of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, which is the upstream regulator of Nigeria. Eight countries,...

Oil & Gas

Tinubu, the Nigerian president, lifts the emergency rule in oil rich Rivers State

Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian president, lifted an emergency rule of six months in Rivers State on Wednesday, reinstating Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and other officials. He had said that a crisis constitutional that had paralysed government had been resolved. The emergency rule was imposed on 18 March following a standoff that occurred between Fubara, the governor of the state and the legislature. This conflict disrupted the budget approvals leaving the government in limbo. Tinubu claimed that the emergency rule was necessary to avoid anarchy. Rivers State is located in Nigeria's oil-producing Niger Delta and is a major hub for crude exports....

Oil & Gas

Nigerian president urges quick return for Brazil's Petrobras

Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian president, said at a press briefing with his Brazilian counterpart that Petrobras should be able return to Nigeria quickly. Petrobras started operations in Nigeria in deep waters near the Niger Delta in 1998. It sold its stakes over 10 years ago in order to raise money for domestic projects. Nigeria has worked to solve some of the issues that have limited its oil and gas production since then. "We have a large gas reservoir." "I don't understand why Petrobras should not return to Nigeria as a partner as soon as possible," Tinubu said at a press...

Oil & Gas

Nigerian President says Brazil's Petrobras could return to Nigeria soon

Bola Tinubu, Nigerian president, said that Brazil's Petrobras oil company, which left Nigeria in 2005, should be able return quickly. The visit was part of a 2-day trip to strengthen ties. Petrobras started operations in Nigeria in the deep waters of the Niger Delta in 1998. It sold its stakes over 10 years ago in order to raise money for domestic projects. Nigeria has since then been crackingdown on the issues that have limited oil production. "We have a large gas reservoir." "I don't understand why Petrobras should not return to Nigeria as a partner as soon as possible," Tinubu...

Oil & Gas

Dangote Refinery drops suit against Nigerian fuel importers

According to a filing in court, Dangote Refinery retracted its lawsuit over fuel imports against Nigeria's midstream, downstream, and petroleum regulator, as well as several fuel importers including the state-owned NNPC Ltd. Africa's biggest refinery sought to annul fuel import licenses issued to NNPC Ltd., AYM Shafa Ltd., A.A. Rano Ltd., T. Time Petroleum Ltd., 2015 Petroleum Ltd., and Matrix Petroleum Services Ltd. The refinery also demanded 100 billion naira (66 million dollars) in damages. Dangote Refinery filed a lawsuit claiming that the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency was violating the laws by issuing gasoline import permits to...

Oil & Gas

Sources say that the Dangote refinery in Nigeria plans to build 1.6 million barrels of fuel storage tanks for Namibia.

MacDonald Dzirutwe Two sources confirmed on Wednesday that the refinery in Nigeria, Dangote Petroleum, will build storage tanks in Namibia for at least 1.6 millions barrels of gasoline or diesel to be supplied to southern Africa. This move demonstrates the refinery’s ambition to dominate the fuel supply market in Africa, and beyond. It could reshape energy trade flows and increase access to refined products in southern African countries. Aliko Dangote is Africa's richest person. He built a $20 billion refinery that produces 650,000 barrels of oil per day. It started operating last year. Since then, it has increased production and...

Oil & Gas

IMF says Nigeria must re-calibrate its budget to lower oil prices

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said that Nigeria must adapt its budget for 2025 to lower oil costs and increase cash transfers in order to protect the most vulnerable sections of its population. The IMF released the results of the routine "Article IV", assessment of Nigerian economic policies. It said that the economic growth was steady, but low per capita and the inflation remained high. The Fund forecast that Nigeria's economy will grow at a rate of 3.4% in this year, and 3.2% by 2026. Axel Schimmelpfennig is the mission chief of the Fund for Nigeria. He said: "The international...

Oil & Gas

IIR: Nigeria's Dangote Refinery will run with reduced production until October.

IIR Energy, an industry watchdog, said that the Dangote oil refining plant in Nigeria, which is one of the largest refineries in the world, will operate its gasoline production unit with reduced output until October due to a series of problems in recent months. The 650,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) refinery, which opened last year, is currently running its 204,000 bpd gasoline-producing residual fluid catalytic cracking (RFCC) unit at about 70% of capacity, IIR said. IIR reported that the unit was closed from April 7 until May 11 due to damage to part of the unit, and again from May 15 through May...

Oil & Gas Drilling

Nigeria offers tax reductions on oil to reduce costs

The Nigerian president Bola Tinubu signed an executive order that introduces a framework based on performance for operators in the oil sector. This is designed to tie tax incentives to cost savings that can be verified. The new Upstream Petroleum Operations cost Efficiency Incentives order 2025 will provide tax relief to operators who implement cost reductions that are industry standard in shallow-water, onshore and deep-offshore fields. The tax credit will not exceed 20% of the operator's tax liability. Tinubu stated in a press release that "This Order sends a message to the world: We are building an efficient and competitive...

Oil & Gas Exploration

Minister says Nigeria is in talks with Petrobras about deep-water acreage

Yusuf Tuggar, Nigeria's foreign minister, said that the country is in talks with Petrobras about exploring its deep-water oil acreage, after years of the Brazilian oil giant leaving the nation. Petrobras has ceased operations in Nigeria but is keen to return. "They said they wanted frontier acreage on deep water," Tuggar, a vice president's statement quoted as saying. Brazil will host both the BRICS Summit and the COP30 meeting this year, after hosting the G20 last year. Nigeria will promote investment during these summits, as it seeks to strengthen ties with Brazil, particularly in the areas of energy, culture, health...

Oil & Gas

IIR: Nigeria's Dangote Oil Refinery cancels maintenance for June at its gasoline unit

According to IIR, Nigeria's Dangote Oil refinery has cancelled maintenance for June at its 204,000 barrels of gasoline per day unit because it completed planned work during an unplanned shut-down from April 7 to 11th. According to Kpler, a shipping trade analytics company, during the unplanned outage the Dangote Refinery increased its exports for residual products, such as straight-run fuel oil, but decreased exports for finished products, such as jetfuel and gasoil. Kpler data shows that Nigeria's fuel imports increased by 24% in April, to 157,000 barrels per day. Dangote originally planned to close its gasoline-making residue liquid catalytic Cracking...

Fossil Fuels

Fossil Fuels

Nigeria delays the new tax law until 2026 due to fears that living costs will increase.

The new tax laws in Nigeria, which include a controversial 5% fuel surcharge that has been causing controversy, won't take effect until the first of January, Finance Minister Wale Edwardun announced on Tuesday. He was trying to ease fears about rising living costs due to widespread economic hardship. Edun told journalists in Abuja that the surcharge, which targets petrol, diesel and other fossil fuels required a formal government announcement and an official order, signed by the Finance Minister, to be published in National Gazette prior to implementation. The order will not be released immediately. He said that the government was...

Fossil Fuels

Tinubu wants a 7% growth in Nigeria's economy by 2027

Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian president, set an annual growth target of 7% by 2027. He aims to lift millions of people out of poverty by then and to expand the economy four times larger than it is today by 2030. Tinubu, who took office in 2023 and has been president since then, has devalued twice the naira and ended petrol and electric subsidies to increase Nigeria's slow production over the past decade. These steps have triggered the most severe cost of living crisis in generations and are yet to produce faster growth. The rebasing of the gross domestic product boosted...

Crude Oil

Sources say that Pakistan Refinery will buy Nigerian Bonny Light Oil from Vitol for the first time.

Two sources with knowledge of the matter have confirmed that Pakistan Refinery Limited is planning to import its first shipment of Nigerian Bonny Light Crude from Vitol by September. Asian refiners are looking for cheaper alternatives to Middle Eastern crude oil. Sources who declined to be named because the information was not yet public said that the 500,000 barrels of light-sweet crude oil cargo will load in the second half of this month, and arrive at Karachi by the end September. The price wasn't immediately available. Vitol or PRL didn't immediately respond to our request for comment. This purchase comes...

Refined Products

Oil Refineries

Oil Refineries

IIR reports that Nigeria's Dangote Refinery gasoline unit may be closed for two to three months.

IIR Energy, a company that monitors the industry, told its clients on Thursday that repairs may cause the gasoline unit of Nigeria's Dangote refinery, which produces 650,000 barrels per day, to be closed for 2-3 months. This could result in a tighter market for gasoline. The unit was shut down around August 29 due to catalyst leaks. IIR Energy stated that the refinery intends to try to restart the Residue-Fluidized Catalytic Crushing Unit (RFCCU), which produces 204,000 bpd, on September 20, although major repairs and replacement of equipment could keep the unit closed for months. First reported on Wednesday, Dangote’s...

Oil Refineries

Dangote names an ex-Shell executive as refinery manager amid expansion drive

Nigeria's Dangote Group announced on Saturday that David Bird, an ex-Shell executive and former CEO of the 0Q8 Refinery in Oman was appointed as chief executive officer of its refinery division and petrochemicals. The company is accelerating its pan-African expansion strategy. Bird's appointment, which took effect on 1 August, brings with it over 30 years of experience in the industry, including 14 years at Shell, where he was responsible for the $12 billion Prelude project. His appointment coincides with the expansion of Dangote's $20-billion refinery complex, which is the largest single-train facility in the world, in Lagos after its commissioning...

Oil Refineries

Executive says Nigeria's Dangote Refinery will operate at full capacity within 30 days.

The head of the refinery announced on Monday that the Nigerian Dangote Oil Refinery, Africa's biggest, could start operating at full capacity within 30 days. The 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery built by Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote in Lagos began processing crude into products, including diesel, naphtha and jet fuel, in January last year and started processing petrol in September. The company aims to compete against European refiners at full capacity, but has struggled to find enough crude locally. Edwin Devakumar said that the Dangote oil refining plant was currently running at 85% of its capacity. "We can reach 100 percent in just...

Oil Refineries

Middle East share of India's Nov oil imports at 9-mth high; Russia down

India's November crude imports revealed Middle Eastern oil at a 9month high while Russia accounted for its smallest share in 3 quarters, ship tracking data obtained from sources showed. Refiners in India have actually been making a pig of on cheaper Russian oil regardless of problems postured by sanctions targeted at lowering Moscow's. oil profits to money its war in Ukraine. The world's third biggest oil importer and consumer in. November delivered in 13% less Russia oil compared with October at. 1.52 million barrels per day (bpd), about 32% of India's total. intake, the information revealed. It imported 2.28 million...

Oil Refineries

India's August Russian oil imports slip 18% from July, tanker data reveal

India's month-to-month oil imports from Russia fell by 18.3% to about 1.7 million barrels each day (bpd) in August from the previous month due to lower crude processing by some refiners, tanker information gotten from trade sources showed. In contrast, China stepped up purchases of Russian oil last month, reclaiming the area of Moscow's leading oil client after India became the greatest purchaser for the very first time in July. The share of Russian oil in India's August imports declined to about 36% after rising for five straight months, the information showed. In July, Russian oil accounted for about 44%...

Crude Oil

Nigeria's Dangote refinery is reselling crude, sources say

Nigeria's significant Dangote oil refinery is reselling freights of U.S. and Nigerian crude, 4 trade sources familiar with the matter said on Friday. 3 of the sources stated the reoffer was linked to technical issues at the refinery. A Dangote executive, asked about the offers and talk in the market that the refinery is having operational concerns affecting the unrefined distillation system, said the CDU functions. The refinery began production in January and will be the biggest in Africa and Europe when it reaches full capacity. It might overthrow what has actually been an extremely rewarding Europe-to-Africa fuel trade and...

Oil Refineries

Nigeria's Dangote refinery in talks with Libya to protect oil

Nigeria's Dangote refinery is in talks with Libya to protect crude for the 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) plant and will likewise look for Angolan oil, a senior executive stated, as it looks for to overcome issues with domestic supplies. The $20 billion refinery, constructed by Africa's wealthiest man Aliko Dangote on the borders of Lagos is Africa's biggest, and is designed to end Nigeria's dependence on imported fuels because of inadequate refining capacity. Given that Dangote began operations in January, it has been unable to get adequate unrefined supplies in Nigeria, which, although Africa's biggest oil producer, is battling...

Oil Refineries

Kazakhstan resumes gas exports after 2-year hiatus, sources state

Kazakhstan resumed gas exports in May that had actually been on hold since May 2022, sending 2,000 metric tons of the fuel to Georgia in May, 3 market sources familiar with the matter stated on Wednesday. Kazakhstan banned fuel exports 2 years ago to protect its domestic market from fuel lacks. Before the ban was introduced, in April 2022, Kazakhstan delivered some 26,000 tons of gas to foreign markets. Prior to this Kazakhstan likewise suspended fuel exports in 2021, while in 2020 its fuel exports totaled up to 494,000 tons. The Condensate refinery, an independent refinery in Kazakhstan, was granted...

Crude Oil

Russia squeezes Mideast, OPEC shares in India's oil market to historic lows

Russia became the top oil provider to India throughout the 2023/24 for a. second year in a row, squeezing the market share of Middle. Eastern and OPEC producers to historical lows, ship tracking data. from industry sources revealed. New Delhi has been gorging on Russian oil sold at a discount rate. after Western countries avoided purchases and imposed sanctions on. Moscow over its intrusion of Ukraine. As an outcome Russia is now. the top provider to the world's third-largest oil importer. India has actually continued to buy Russian oil regardless of problems. posed by a raft of sanctions aimed at...