in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026, the United States spent approximately $578.78 million on crude oil imports from Nigeria.The U.S. imported 7.84 million barrels of Nigerian crude between January and March 2026.Despite this high figure, it represents a 15.06% drop in value and a 7.03% decrease in volume compared to the same period in 2025, which saw 8.44 million barrels imported.
Imports plummeted from $345.33 million in February 2026 to $114.49 million in March 2026, indicating a sharp, short-term reduction in demand.While Nigeria remains a top African supplier to the U.S., its share of total African oil exports to the U.S. dropped from 61.7% in Q1 2025 to 34.8% in Q1 2026, losing ground to competitors like Libya and Ghana.The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) attributed the decline to pipeline leaks and structural issues, such as those on the Trans Forcados Pipeline.This trade occurs alongside a significant, ongoing shift where Nigeria is also importing U.S. crude for its domestic refineries
Note by Alessandro Bazzoni