Middle East shock gives Dangote Refinery leverage as cheap imports dry up

Nigeria's Dangote Petroleum Refinery has stepped up gasoline exports across Africa as disruptions to energy flows due to the Iran conflict squeeze traditional fuel supply routes, curbing the cheap imports that long dominated West African markets.

Data from tanker-tracking firm Kpler show Nigeria's exports of clean petroleum products - which include gasoline, diesel, kerosene and jet fuel - have risen to about 214,000 barrels per day so far in March from an average 100,000 bpd in February.

Shipments to other African countries have climbed to about 90,000 bpd from 38,000 bpd previously.

The 650,000 barrel-per-day Dangote refinery has sold 12 cargoes of premium motor spirit, totalling 456,000 metric tons, on a free-on-board basis to international traders, with shipments delivered to Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Tanzania, Ghana and Togo, sources familiar with the deals said.

The sales mark Dangote's first exports of gasoline since the plant reached full capacity in February.

Production: Kazeem Sanni, Angela Ukomadu, Isaac Anyaogu/Reuters