Despite Nigeria being one of the world’s largest crude oil producers, Dangote Petroleum Refinery imported crude oil worth $3.74 billion in 2025, according to the latest Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Balance of Payments report.
The report highlighted that these imports contributed to shifts in Nigeria’s current account, even as crude oil exports fell from $36.85 billion in 2024 to $31.54 billion in 2025, marking a 14.41% decline.
On the positive side, the refinery’s operations helped reduce the nation’s dependence on imported fuel. Refined petroleum product imports dropped sharply to $10 billion in 2025 from $14.06 billion in 2024, a 28.88% decrease. Total oil-related imports also eased, reflecting the impact of domestic refining.
However, this improvement was partially offset by rising non-oil imports, which grew from $25.74 billion in 2024 to $29.24 billion in 2025, a 13.6% increase, showing sustained demand for foreign goods.
The goods account remained in surplus at $14.51 billion, up from $13.17 billion in 2024, largely driven by the Dangote refinery’s refined petroleum exports, which reached $5.85 billion, alongside higher gas exports.
Nigeria recorded a current account surplus of $14.04 billion in 2025, down from $19.03 billion in 2024 but significantly above the $6.42 billion posted in 2023. The decline from 2024 was attributed to structural changes in oil trade flows, including crude imports for domestic refining.
The report also noted growing pressure from external payments. Net outflows for services increased to $14.58 billion from $13.36 billion in 2024 due to higher spending on transport, travel, insurance, and other services. Primary income outflows surged 60.88% to $9.09 billion, reflecting higher dividend and interest payments to foreign investors.
Meanwhile, secondary income inflows dipped slightly to $23.20 billion from $24.88 billion in 2024, although remittances remained a major source of foreign inflow.
Overall, the figures underscore a persistent paradox in Nigeria’s oil sector: while domestic refining is reducing fuel import dependence, Dangote Refinery’s crude oil imports continue to rise amid feedstock shortages, even in the context of the government’s naira-for-crude policy aimed at prioritizing local supply.
