Nigeria’s Dangote Oil Refinery has issued tenders to sell jet fuel and gasoil for March loading, according to a trade source familiar with the matter.
The source, citing a summary of the tender documents, said the refinery is offering up to 44,000 metric tonnes of jet fuel scheduled for loading between March 20 and March 22.
In addition, the refinery is seeking buyers for at least 40,000 tonnes of gasoil with a maximum sulphur content of 50 parts per million. The gasoil cargoes are expected to load between March 15 and March 30.
The refinery did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the tenders.
The move signals continued export activity from the massive facility, which is owned by Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote and is expected to significantly reshape fuel supply dynamics in Nigeria and the wider West African region.
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Located in the Lekki Free Zone near Lagos, the refinery is one of the largest single-train refineries in the world and has begun gradually ramping up production after years of construction and testing phases.
Market participants say sales of refined products such as jet fuel and gasoil from the facility could help reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported petroleum products while also supplying regional markets.
Traders are closely watching the refinery’s product tenders as they provide signals about production volumes, operational stability and export flows from the plant.
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Gasoil, commonly used as diesel fuel for transport and industrial activity, remains one of the most traded refined petroleum products globally, while jet fuel demand is closely tied to aviation activity.
The Dangote refinery is expected to eventually process up to 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day when operating at full capacity, positioning it as a major supplier of refined fuels across Africa.
Industry analysts say sustained output from the refinery could help ease fuel supply constraints in Nigeria, which has historically relied heavily on imported refined products despite being one of Africa’s largest crude oil producers.
For now, traders say the latest tenders indicate the refinery is continuing to test and expand its refined product marketing as it scales up operations.
The Dangote Refinery is the largest oil refinery in Africa and one of the biggest single-train refineries in the world. Located in the Lekki Free Zone near Lagos in Nigeria, the facility was built by the Dangote Group, the industrial conglomerate founded by billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote.
The refinery has a processing capacity of about 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day, making it a key project aimed at transforming Nigeria’s energy sector. For decades, Nigeria—despite being Africa’s largest oil producer—has relied heavily on imported refined petroleum products due to limited domestic refining capacity and the poor performance of state-owned refineries.
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The Dangote Refinery was conceived to address this structural weakness by enabling Nigeria to refine most of its crude oil domestically. The project is expected to significantly reduce the country’s dependence on fuel imports and help stabilise local fuel supplies.
Construction of the refinery began in 2016 and required an estimated investment of more than US$19 billion, making it one of the largest industrial projects ever undertaken in Africa. The complex also includes petrochemical and fertiliser plants designed to produce a range of products for both domestic consumption and export markets.
The refinery began gradually ramping up operations in 2024 and has since started producing key refined products such as diesel (gasoil), aviation fuel (jet fuel), naphtha and petrol. As production increases, the facility is expected to become a major supplier of refined fuels not only to Nigeria but also to other African and international markets.
Issuing tenders to sell products such as jet fuel and gasoil is part of the refinery’s commercial operations as it integrates into global fuel trading markets. Large refineries typically sell refined products through competitive tenders or trading arrangements with international commodity traders, oil marketers and fuel distributors.
Nigeria has long faced fuel supply challenges, including shortages and high import costs. Before the launch of the Dangote Refinery, the country relied heavily on imported petroleum products supplied by international traders and domestic fuel marketers.
The refinery’s operations therefore represent a major shift in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum industry. By producing refined fuels locally, the facility could reduce pressure on foreign exchange reserves and improve energy security.
The refinery is also expected to strengthen Nigeria’s role in the regional fuel market. West Africa imports a large share of its refined petroleum products, and analysts believe the Dangote Refinery could become a major export hub supplying neighbouring countries.
In addition to economic benefits, the refinery could help reshape pricing dynamics in the regional fuel market by increasing supply and reducing reliance on overseas refineries.
However, the project has also faced several challenges, including delays in construction, regulatory issues and disputes over crude oil supply. The refinery requires large volumes of crude oil to operate at full capacity, and discussions have been ongoing between the company and the government about long-term supply arrangements.
Despite these challenges, the Dangote Refinery is widely regarded as a landmark project that could transform Nigeria’s energy landscape and reduce the country’s long-standing dependence on imported fuel products.
As the facility ramps up production and expands exports, tenders for refined products such as jet fuel and gasoil are expected to become a regular part of its operations in international energy markets.
