Dangote refinery ships first Petrol cargo to the United States

The Dangote Refinery has sent its inaugural petrol shipment to the United States, signifying a major development in Nigeria’s trade of refined products. This information was validated by data from the global analytics firm Kpler and other market sources.

The vessel Gemini Pearl loaded approximately 300,000 barrels of gasoline from the refinery in Lekki on August 26 and is en route to the U.S., with possible discharge points at the Port of New York or New Jersey.

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This marks the first Nigerian petrol shipment to the U.S., although Dangote has previously made several deliveries from West Africa. In June and July, the refinery exported three LR2 cargoes—two to the Middle East Gulf and one to Singapore.

Experts believe this recent shipment may reflect an arbitrage strategy, as prices for RBOB gasoline on the U.S. Atlantic Coast have risen sharply, while inventories in PADD 1 (East Coast) remain constrained.

Moreover, Dangote has supplied petrol to the Mideast Gulf amid supply shortages, emphasizing its role as a dynamic supplier in the global fuel market. Traders also suggest that Europe could become a potential market if there are arbitrage opportunities, though this will depend on the efficient operation of the refinery’s residual fluid catalytic cracking (RFCC) unit.

On Tuesday, Brent crude prices increased by 1.63% to $69.26 per barrel, while WTI rose by 2.78% to $65.79 per barrel. This upward trend reflects a global pattern, resulting in higher ex-depot prices in Nigeria. In Lagos, Rainoil and NIPCO priced petrol at ₦850 per liter, Matrix set it at ₦865 per liter in Warri, while it was ₦870 per liter in Calabar and also at ₦870 per liter in Port Harcourt from Sigmund.