Nigeria is experiencing a notable paradox in its energy sector, marked by a growing reliance on foreign feedstock to support domestic refining operations. Despite being a major global producer of crude oil, the country has significantly increased its imports of American crude over the past two years.

Between January 2024 and January 2026, Nigeria imported approximately 61.7 million barrels of crude oil from the United States. This surge underscores a critical shift in the nation’s energy trade, transitioning from near-total self-sufficiency to sourcing raw crude internationally to meet the demands of local facilities.

This development represents a stark reversal from the preceding decade, during which crude oil trade flows between Nigeria and the United States were virtually non-existent. Before 2024, American crude shipments to the country were negligible, often limited to very small daily averages that did not impact the broader market.

Industry analysts and stakeholders identify the commencement of operations at the Dangote refinery as the primary catalyst for these imports. The facility, which is one of the world’s largest single-train refineries, requires substantial daily feedstock to operate at optimal capacity, necessitating over 19 million barrels of crude every month.

This operational demand has created a supply-chain tension within Nigeria. While the country possesses the capacity to produce millions of barrels, a substantial portion of this output is consistently shipped to international markets, leaving domestic refineries scrambling for sufficient local feedstock to meet their requirements.

Statistical data reinforces this supply imbalance. Between January and October 2025, Nigeria exported roughly 306.7 million barrels of crude oil. During that 10-month period, exports represented approximately 69 percent of the total production, which significantly limited the volumes available for local processing.

The trend has persisted into 2026. Data shows that Nigeria exported 55.39 million barrels of crude oil in the first two months of the year alone. These heavy exports continue to occur even as local refineries frequently report difficulties in securing adequate crude supply to maintain production.

The Crude Oil Refiners Association of Nigeria has also highlighted the impact of these shortages, noting that smaller modular refineries have faced intermittent shutdowns. These operational halts are directly attributed to the inability to secure enough crude oil from the domestic market, forcing a reliance on external sources.

Moving forward, the importation of US crude serves as a necessary, albeit complex, stopgap measure to ensure that domestic facilities like the Dangote refinery remain functional. Until local supply arrangements and refining feedstock allocations are fully optimized, Nigeria is expected to continue balancing its role as a major oil exporter with the necessity of being a crude importer.