Key U.S. energy production, import, and export data for 2025

Since the early 2010s, U.S. crude oil exports have grown rapidly—driven by rising domestic crude production, expanded domestic infrastructure, increasing global demand for light, low-sulfur crude, and the 2016 lifting of U.S. crude export restrictions. In 2025, U.S. crude oil exports reached 4 million barrels per day (bpd), 85 times the 2011 level—but slightly below the 2023 and 2024 figures. Although U.S. crude production rose 3% year-on-year in 2025 to a record 13.6 million bpd, exports declined. Overall, U.S. crude exports have trended upward in recent years alongside rising domestic output; however, in 2025, more crude was directed toward boosting U.S. inventories—especially the Strategic Petroleum Reserve—and meeting domestic refinery demand. Since 2018, the top regional destinations for U.S. crude exports have been Europe, and Asia-Pacific & Oceania. The war in Ukraine—and the inclusion of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) into the 'spot Brent' pricing system—made Europe the top destination for U.S. crude exports in 2023; exports to Europe rose further in 2024. In 2025, however, U.S. crude exports to Europe fell by 7%, as OPEC’s increased output displaced U.S. market share. The steepest decline among European countries was to the United Kingdom, where exports dropped by over 100,000 bpd—roughly 35%. Though marking the first decline since 2021, U.S. crude exports to Europe remain above pre-war levels. U.S. crude exports to Asia and Oceania also declined in 2025—particularly to Singapore and China. Compared with 2024, exports to Singapore fell by 75% and to China by 89%. China had been the second-largest destination for U.S. crude exports in 2023, but volumes to China have declined steadily over the past two years. Although total U.S. crude exports to Europe fell in 2025, the Netherlands imported approximately 80,000 bpd more U.S. crude than in 2024. Similarly, in Asia, India and Japan increased their U.S. crude imports by about 90,000 bpd and 80,000 bpd, respectively. Additionally, U.S. crude exports to Nigeria rose from roughly 40,000 bpd in 2024 to about 110,000 bpd in 2025. The Dangote Refinery in Nigeria began processing crude in January 2024; Nigeria started importing U.S. crude the following month. The refinery reached its design capacity in February 2026, and as refining capacity expanded, Nigeria continued increasing its U.S. crude imports. (III) U.S. Exports of Key Petroleum-Based Transport Fuels Held Steady in 2025 In 2025, U.S. exports of key petroleum-based transport fuels—including distillate fuel oil, gasoline, and jet fuel—averaged 2.4 million bpd, essentially unchanged from the prior year. Distillate fuel oil (typically sold as diesel) accounted for over half of total transport fuel exports in 2025—and drove most of the year’s overall decline in fuel exports. Gasoline and jet fuel exports each rose slightly compared with 2024.

"Market for Factories": Nigeria’s Heavy-Handed Industrial Policy Closes Pure Trading Routes

Bottlenecks and Compliance Pathways: Red Lines Chinese Enterprises Must Face This policy was formulated with deep reference to recommendations from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Muhammad Malik Foll, UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, stated on-site that Nigeria must become a key participant in global value chains. Francis Mehiyoye, President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), voiced local factory owners’ demand for more direct government support. For Chinese enterprises operating in Nigeria, the biggest bottleneck lies in inconsistent enforcement across government departments. Minister John Owan Ino’s iron-fisted approach means any attempt to exploit policy loopholes—such as engaging in sham manufacturing while effectively conducting disguised imports—will be rigorously targeted. Compliance red lines have extended beyond paper documents to real-world factory-level records of electricity and water consumption. Nigeria’s Priority Industrial Access and Compliance Red Line Summary Table The Nigerian government defines success by whether factory gates are physically opened. Trading entities lacking actual production lines, failing to create local jobs, or neglecting to pay value-added tax will face operational risks starting in the second half of 2026. Three Reference Recommendations for Overseas Business Operators: Strategic Development Department: Complete HS code reviews for existing products before April 1, 2026; for items already listed in Nigeria’s local production directory, submit conversion-to-manufacturing applications to Nigeria’s Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment. Production & Operations Department: Engage with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) to secure industrial gas allocations for the next three years under Nigeria’s 2026 Natural Gas Master Plan—avoiding production halts due to energy supply disruptions. Legal & Compliance Department: Fully align with the membership requirements of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN); ensure formal certification as a local manufacturer by June 30, 2026—to qualify for policy-based safeguards against import dumping. Nigeria’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has publicly demanded closure of the import gate. Is this an inevitable step toward robust national industry—or a self-serving move to consolidate personal monopoly power? If you’re an experienced trader deeply rooted in Nigeria, facing this new industrial policy, would you liquidate inventory and withdraw home—or take on debt to build a factory despite Nigeria’s chronic power shortages? We welcome your views in the comments below. ▽ In-depth Analysis The Empire Strikes Back: Four U.S. Levers for Securing African Minerals — Sino-U.S. Rivalry over Africa’s Mineral Veins (Part I) The Great Split: Africa’s Mining Transformation Under Four U.S. Levers — Sino-U.S. Rivalry over Africa’s Mineral Veins (Part II) You Drop Your Atomic Bombs; We Toss Our Grenades — Forging a China-Africa Unified Front on Minerals — Sino-U.S. Rivalry over Africa’s Mineral Veins (Part III) ▽ Recent Popular Articles Interview with ‘Old Africa Hand’ Factory Director Li: ‘Racing Toward $1 Billion in Three Years?’ — Six Key Opportunities Unlocking Chinese Enterprise Gold Rushes! Nigeria Finally Concedes: Admits $2.5 Billion Won’t Fix Its Refineries — Urgently Invites Chinese Industrial Giants to Take Over (Are They Just ‘Saviors’?) Ghana Stirs Up Trouble! Royalty Fees Soar to 12% — China’s Top Three Mining Firms May Face Their Darkest Hour… Senegal’s Speaker of Parliament Visits China, Bringing Urgent Orders Beware! The U.S. May Launch a ‘Three-Step Kill’ Strategy in the DRC — Chinese Mining Firms Must Exercise Caution Two Super-Power Investors Battle for Africa — Chinese Enterprises Face Either Existential Disruption or a Full Table Flip African Buyers Can Pay Without USD! Real-World Test of China-Africa Trade Payments: Zero-Cost Account Opening, Instant Settlement, Annual Savings Equivalent to One Car! Deep Dive: Africa’s Electric Vehicle Market Holds Huge Potential — E-Two-Wheelers + Battery-Swapping Services Are the Breakthrough Entry Point!

Kenyan Tribunal Dismisses Case on Dangote’s $16 Billion Refinery

1 day ago

A Kenyan tribunal dismissed a legal challenge against Aliko Dangote's $16 billion oil refinery, ruling it a private investment and clearing a major hurdle for the facility aimed at reducing East Africa's fuel import reliance.

bloomberg

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Aliko Dangote’s Group Eyes More Dollar Bond Sales to Fund Growth

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Dangote Adds Another East Africa Site to Build a Mega-Refinery

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Dangote Says Kenya Refinery Will Cost as Much as $17 Billion

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Dangote, Ethiopia to Invest $660 Million in Pipeline, Storage

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Ethiopia and Djibouti to Jointly Build Oil Pipeline