Dangote Refinery Exports Most Jet Fuel to Europe and Asia, Shipping 80,000 Barrels Per Day in Q2 2026
Why It MattersRegional refining capacity is increasingly filling aviation fuel supply gaps left by disrupted Middle Eastern exports, reshaping which suppliers Europe and Asia depend on as airline fleets expand.
What happened
Aliko Dangote, president of Dangote Industries, said the majority of jet fuel produced at his Nigerian refinery is being exported to Europe and Asia, with the plant shipping approximately 80,000 barrels per day of jet fuel in the second quarter of 2026. Speaking to reporters in Qatar, Dangote said the refinery is now one of Europe's largest external suppliers of the product. "Majority of our jet fuel is going to Europe and maybe Asia," he said, citing aircraft orders from Air India, Emirates, Ryanair, Ethiopian Airlines and Etihad as a driver of future demand. "These five airlines have more than 1,500 aircraft on order between now and 2030," he added.
The refinery shipped its first jet fuel cargo to Europe in May 2024, when BP and Spanish refiner Cepsa secured part of a 120,000-tonne tender, according to S&P Global. S&P Global also reported that the Dangote refinery became the world's largest single exporter of aviation fuel in April 2026. The refinery has been operating at close to full capacity after reaching approximately 650,000 barrels per day earlier this year, and it is seeking to expand processing capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day.
Among the airlines Dangote cited, Air India announced in January that it had added 30 Boeing aircraft to its orders, bringing its total Boeing orders to 250. Ethiopian Airlines converted options for six Boeing 787 Dreamliners into firm orders in April, as confirmed by Boeing. Energy Aspects forecasts that Europe could face a jet fuel deficit of approximately 510,000 barrels per day in the fourth quarter of 2026, while the Asia-Pacific region is projected to have a surplus.
Industry impact & what to watch
This case fits into a broader shift in aviation fuel sourcing, where refiners outside the traditional Middle Eastern and European supply base are gaining share as regional output patterns change. Jet fuel markets work on tight regional balances, so a large new exporter emerging in West Africa can materially affect who European and Asian buyers turn to when supply from established sources tightens.
The underlying driver Dangote pointed to — fleet expansion at carriers like Air India, Ethiopian Airlines and Emirates — links refinery output decisions to airline order books years in advance, since jet fuel demand growth is largely a function of aircraft delivery schedules. Energy Aspects' forecast of a roughly 510,000 barrel-per-day European deficit in the fourth quarter of 2026, against a projected Asia-Pacific surplus, indicates the regional imbalance that has already pulled Nigerian barrels toward Europe could persist or widen.
What happens next depends on whether Dangote's planned expansion to 1.4 million barrels per day materializes and how quickly, since added capacity would determine whether the refinery can keep growing its export share as European buyers continue diversifying supply away from Middle Eastern sources.
