Nigeria accounts for over half of Africa’s US oil exports despite overall import decline

Nigeria solidified its position as Africa’s dominant crude supplier to the United States in 2025, accounting for 52 percent of the continent’s oil exports to the U.S. despite an overall decline in American imports from the region, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The West African nation shipped 46.6 million barrels of crude to the United States last year, representing a slight decrease of 8.2 percent from 2024 levels. However, Nigeria’s share of Africa’s total crude exports to the U.S. actually increased from 49 percent to 52.2 percent over the same period, the bureau’s “U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services report” showed.

The increased market share came as total U.S. crude imports from Africa fell by 13.8 percent year-on-year to 89.4 million barrels in 2025, down from 103.6 million barrels in 2024. The 14.3 million barrel decline points to either softening demand for African crude in the American market or shifting sourcing patterns toward other regions.

The decline was even steeper in value terms. Using the Cost, Insurance, and Freight (C.I.F.) measure — which includes transportation and insurance costs — Africa’s total crude export value to the U.S. dropped from $8.95 billion in 2024 to $6.82 billion in 2025, a 23.8 percent decrease. Nigeria’s customs value fell from $4.37 billion to $3.45 billion over the same period.

U.S. builds trade surplus with Nigeria

Despite the oil trade dynamics, the United States maintained a $1.79 billion trade surplus with Nigeria in 2025, the report indicated.

American exports to Nigeria totaled $6.79 billion last year, significantly outpacing U.S. imports from the country, which stood at $4.99 billion. U.S. shipments to Nigeria include machinery, refined petroleum products, and agricultural and manufactured goods, while Nigerian exports to the American market remain heavily dominated by crude oil and related energy products.

The data suggests the United States continues to function as a stronger exporter to Nigeria than as a buyer of Nigerian goods, even as Nigeria maintains its position as Africa’s top crude supplier to the American market.