Nigeria’s Dangote Refinery has reached a key milestone by delivering its initial gasoline shipment to the United States, signaling the country’s growing presence in global refined fuel markets.

Vessel tracking data and industry sources confirmed that the 320,000-barrel cargo arrived Sunday at the Port of New York aboard the Panama-flagged tanker Gemini Pearl. Arranged by trader Vitol and distributor Sunoco, the bulk went to Sunoco, with Vitol retaining a portion. A second shipment, sold by Glencore to Shell, is due September 19. Both cargoes met U.S. quality standards, a critical factor for entry into this market.

The 650,000-barrel-per-day facility in Lekki, Lagos, owned by Aliko Dangote, started gasoline production in September 2024 after initial runs of diesel and naphtha. It aims to cover Nigeria’s domestic needs and export surpluses, reducing reliance on imports. Earlier exports targeted Asia and West Africa, with 1.1 billion liters shipped from June to early September 2025.

However, a shutdown of the Residue Fluidized Catalytic Cracking Unit (RFCCU) – essential for gasoline – on August 29 due to catalyst leaks could last until November, per IIR Energy analysts. This may force Nigeria to import fuel again, as daily consumption reportedly exceeds 50 million liters.

Vinmar International, partnering with Dangote for petrochemicals, noted the U.S. delivery as a step in expanding high-quality products like polypropylene from the refinery complex.