Nigeria’s US Crude Oil Imports Surge 167 Percent in 2025
Nigeria sharply increased its crude oil purchases from the United States in 2025, importing a total of 42.13 million barrels within the first 10 months of the year, according to data from the United States Energy Information Administration. The figure represents a year-on-year increase of about 26.34 million barrels compared with the 15.79 million barrels imported over the same period in 2024, translating to roughly 167 percent growth.
The scale of the increase shows that Nigeria more than doubled its reliance on US crude, reflecting both rising demand and structural pressures within the domestic oil supply chain. Total volumes for 2024 stood at 15.79 million barrels, with monthly inflows remaining largely below four million barrels and falling sharply in June to just 1.04 million barrels. The weaker performance in 2024 contrasts sharply with the stronger and more sustained import profile recorded in 2025.
A month-by-month breakdown shows how Nigeria’s US crude imports gathered momentum over the year. There was no record of imports in January in either year. In February, imports stood at 3.11 million barrels, slightly lower than the 3.61 million barrels recorded in February 2024. However, by March 2025, imports rose to 5.25 million barrels, exceeding March 2024 volumes by nearly 1.83 million barrels. April imports eased to 2.04 million barrels but still remained higher than the 1.54 million barrels recorded in the same month of 2024.
The most significant monthly surge occurred in June, when imports jumped to 9.16 million barrels, almost nine times higher than the 1.04 million barrels imported in June 2024 and accounting for more than one fifth of Nigeria’s total US crude purchases for 2025. The June figure marked a turning point, signalling a sharp acceleration in demand. Imports remained elevated in July at 4.17 million barrels, slightly above the 4.10 million barrels recorded a year earlier. August saw another strong increase, with Nigeria importing 6.24 million barrels, one of the highest monthly figures for the year. The upward trend was sustained into September and October, with each month recording imports of 4.19 million barrels, suggesting steady demand toward the end of the period.
Source: punchng.com
