Nigeria Spends £1.1bn on UK Refined Oil as Fuel Import Dependence Persists in 2025

Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuel remains a major talking point in its energy sector, as new data shows the country spent about £1.1 billion on refined oil imports from the United Kingdom in 2025. The figures highlight how Nigeria, Africa’s largest crude oil producer, is still heavily reliant on imported petroleum products to meet domestic demand.

According to the UK Department for Business and Trade’s latest factsheet, refined oil accounted for a massive 60.5% of all UK goods exported to Nigeria, making it the single most important export category between both countries. The value also rose by 9.4% compared to the previous year, showing growing demand despite Nigeria’s push for energy independence.

Interestingly, refined petroleum products alone generated more revenue for the UK than the combined total of the next four export categories to Nigeria, including industrial machinery, textiles, beverages, and consumer goods. Overall UK goods exports to Nigeria stood at £1.8 billion, with refined oil contributing the bulk of that figure.

The report also shows that total trade between both nations is expanding, reaching £7.6 billion in the 12 months to December 2025, a 10.8% increase from the previous year. While services dominated UK exports at £3.7 billion, goods—driven largely by fuel imports—still play a crucial role in the trade relationship. The UK maintained a £3.3 billion trade surplus with Nigeria during the period.

Despite ongoing efforts by Nigeria to boost local refining capacity through facilities like the Dangote Refinery and rehabilitation of state-owned refineries, the country’s import pattern shows the transition is still in progress. Analysts suggest that until domestic production stabilizes, Nigeria will continue to rely on external suppliers like the UK to bridge its fuel supply gap.

source: nairametrics