Nigeria imported £1.1 billion worth of refined petroleum products from the United Kingdom in 2025, underscoring the country’s continued dependence on imported fuel despite ongoing investments aimed at boosting local refining capacity.
The figure was contained in the latest Trade and Investment Factsheet released by the UK Department for Business and Trade, which showed that refined oil remained the largest British export to Nigeria during the 12 months ended December 2025.
According to the report, refined petroleum products accounted for 60.5 per cent of all UK goods exports to Nigeria, with export value rising by 9.4 per cent compared to the previous year.
The development comes as Nigeria seeks to reduce fuel imports through increased domestic production from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the rehabilitation of state-owned refineries.
The report revealed a wide gap between refined petroleum products and other UK exports to Nigeria.
Refined oil exports were valued at £1.1 billion, making it by far the largest export category. The next highest category, toilet and cleansing preparations, accounted for only £70.2 million, representing 4.0 per cent of UK goods exports to Nigeria.
Other major exports included:
- Textile fabrics – £45.7 million
- General industrial machinery – £42.2 million
- Beverages and tobacco – £34.6 million
The data showed that refined petroleum exports generated more revenue than the combined value of the next four largest export categories.
Overall, UK goods exports to Nigeria stood at £1.8 billion during the review period, meaning refined oil alone accounted for more than three-fifths of all British goods sold to Nigeria.
Strong demand for refined petroleum products contributed to growth in overall trade between both countries.
Total trade in goods and services between the UK and Nigeria reached £7.6 billion in the four quarters ending December 2025, representing an increase of 10.8 per cent or £737 million compared to the previous year.
UK exports to Nigeria rose by 10.5 per cent to £5.5 billion, while imports from Nigeria increased by 11.3 per cent to £2.1 billion.
Services remained the largest component of UK exports, accounting for £3.7 billion or 67.7 per cent of total exports, while goods exports stood at £1.8 billion.
The UK recorded a trade surplus of £3.3 billion with Nigeria during the period, up from £3.0 billion in 2024.
