Dangote Petroleum Refinery has emerged as the world’s largest exporter of jet fuel in April, driven by surging production levels and global supply disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict, according to S&P Global Energy data.
The development was disclosed in a recent S&P Global Energy report, which included remarks from the refinery’s Chief Executive Officer, David Bird, during an interview conducted at the facility in Nigeria.
The report showed that shifting global fuel trade flows significantly boosted demand for alternative aviation fuel suppliers, positioning the Dangote Refinery as a key beneficiary of market disruption.
According to S&P Global Commodities at Sea data, the refinery became the world’s largest exporter of aviation fuel in April after geopolitical tensions in the Middle East disrupted established supply routes.
“After the Middle East war began, Dangote shifted to ‘max jet mode,’ and in April it became the world’s single largest exporter of aviation fuel,” the report stated.
The refinery, which has reached a production capacity of about 650,000 barrels per day following its gradual ramp-up, has maintained near-peak output levels to support rising export demand.
It has also adopted a flexible blending system, importing feedstocks such as gas-to-liquids (GTL) naphtha and Bonny condensate to boost gasoline yields beyond its base configuration.
According to Bird, sustaining large-scale output requires greater trading sophistication, improved logistics coordination, and stronger supply chain reliability as operations expand beyond reliance on local crude supply.
The report further noted that the refinery is gradually shifting toward a merchant refining model, where it actively trades crude and refined products in international markets rather than operating solely as a domestic processing facility.
It is also expanding its crude slate beyond Nigerian light sweet crude to include heavier grades and residue blends, with the capacity to process around 40 different crude types, a figure expected to rise over time.
Bird said the refinery is targeting a future production capacity of 1.4 million barrels per day, which would require sourcing additional crude from regions including the United States, the Middle East, and South America.
He also noted that the company is pursuing long-term offtake agreements with governments, airlines, and national oil companies as it moves away from spot-market-driven sales.
“The long-term ambition is to move closer to global multi-crude benchmarks such as Singapore’s Pulau Bukom refinery, which can process more than 100 crude grades,” Bird stated.
The refinery is also investing in regional infrastructure expansion, including proposed storage and logistics hubs in Namibia, pipeline discussions in Zambia, and storage projects across parts of Central and East Africa.
Bird added that the broader vision is to transform the Lekki Free Zone into a major industrial and energy hub anchored on refining, petrochemicals, and export logistics integration.
The surge in jet fuel exports came amid disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict involving the United States, Iran, and Israel, which unsettled global energy markets after threats and intermittent restrictions around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route handling about 20 per cent of global oil and fuel trade.
The disruption tightened global supply chains and pushed up international jet fuel prices, creating opportunities for alternative suppliers outside the Middle East.
The shift in trade flows contributed to Dangote Refinery’s emergence as the world’s largest exporter of aviation fuel in April, according to S&P Global Commodities at Sea data.
Rising jet fuel prices also increased pressure on Nigeria’s aviation sector, prompting the Federal Government to introduce a price cap and a 30-day credit window for airlines to ease operating costs.
Under the intervention coordinated by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Jet A1 prices were guided within benchmark ranges of N1,760 to N1,988 per litre in Lagos and N1,809 to N2,037 per litre in Abuja.
Earlier in May, Dangote Petroleum Refinery reduced the ex-depot price of aviation fuel from N1,750 to N1,650 per litre and introduced a 30-day interest-free credit facility for marketers and airline operators.
The refinery also transitioned Jet A1 transactions from a dollar-based pricing structure to naira-denominated sales in a move aimed at stabilising supply and reducing pressure on domestic airline operators.
Boluwatife Enome
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