Nigeria exported an estimated 148.9 million barrels of crude oil valued at about N20.22tn in the first five months of 2026, showcasing the scale of the country’s oil trade despite persistent concerns over production levels.
The crude barrels were exported by both international and indigenous oil companies, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
While the export of crude oil may lead to a lack of sufficient domestic feedstock for Dangote Petroleum Refinery and other local refineries, it boosts the country’s foreign exchange earnings.
An analysis of crude oil production and export data for January to May 2026 showed that the country’s crude exports were worth approximately $14.66bn, equivalent to N20.22tn at an exchange rate of N1,380 to the dollar.
In comparison, Nigeria exported 154 million barrels of crude worth about $11.32bn during the same period of 2025. Although export volume in 2026 fell by 5.1 million barrels, representing a 3.3 per cent decline, the export value jumped by about $3.33bn, or 29.5 per cent, driven by significantly higher crude oil prices this year.
The figures obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria indicate that the total volume of crude oil produced by the country during the five-month review period in 2026 was 216.85 million barrels, with a gross market value of approximately $21.28bn, or about N29.36tn, using the same exchange rate.
The calculations were derived from the average daily crude oil production and export volumes for each month, multiplied by the number of days in the respective months, and valued using the corresponding average monthly Bonny Light crude oil prices.
A breakdown of the CBN figures showed that Nigeria produced about 45.26 million barrels in January, 36.68 million barrels in February, 42.78 million barrels in March, 44.70 million barrels in April, and 47.43 million barrels in May.
Crude exports followed a similar trend, with 31.31 million barrels exported in January, 24.08 million barrels in February, 28.83 million barrels in March, 31.20 million barrels in April, and 33.48 million barrels in May.
Using the prevailing average crude prices for each month, January’s exports were valued at about $2.13bn, February $1.74bn, March $3.06bn, April $3.95bn, and May $3.77bn, bringing the cumulative export value to $14.66bn.
On the production side, crude output was valued at approximately $3.08bn in January, $2.65bn in February, $4.54bn in March, $5.67bn in April, and $5.34bn in May, resulting in a cumulative value of $21.28bn.
The data further showed that average daily crude oil production improved over the review period. Output increased from 1.46 million barrels per day in January to 1.53 million barrels per day in May after dropping to 1.31 million barrels per day in February.
PUNCH
