The United States cuts crude oil imports from Nigeria

The United States sharply reduced imports of Nigerian crude oil in January 2026, with volumes declining by about 47.16% month-on-month, according to the latest data from US trade agencies.

Data from the US report on international trade in goods and services showed that Nigeria’s crude oil imports fell to 1.664 million barrels in January, down from 3.149 million barrels recorded in December 2025.

The drop represents a drop of 1,485 million barrels in one month, signaling a significant contraction in Nigeria’s share of the U.S. crude market.

In value terms, Nigerian crude oil exports to the United States have also fallen sharply.

The customs value fell from $217.36 million in December to $115.99 million in January, while the cost, insurance and freight value decreased from $223.10 million to $118.95 million over the same period.

The contraction occurred alongside a broader decline in total U.S. crude imports, which fell from 198.29 million barrels in December to 188.21 million barrels in January, a decline of 5.1%.

In Africa, Nigeria has lost market share to some competitors. Angola recorded a sharp increase in exports to the United States, rising from 575,000 barrels in December to 2,062 million barrels in January, while Ghana emerged as a new supplier with 738,000 barrels during the month.

Nigeria’s share of total crude oil imports from the United States also decreased significantly, to about 0.88% in January, compared to 1.59% in December.

Further analysis showed that crude oil remained Nigeria’s dominant export to the United States, accounting for approximately 63-65% of total US imports from Nigeria in January, although this was lower than the 73.2% recorded in December.

Meanwhile, the United States reported a goods trade surplus with Nigeria of $419 million in January, up from $84 million in December, driven by an increase in American exports to Nigeria.

Despite the decline in exports to the United States, Nigeria’s oil production increased slightly to 1.64 million barrels per day in January, compared to 1.55 million barrels per day in December, according to the latest operating report from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.