Nigeria earned $578.78 million from crude oil sales to the United States in the first quarter of 2026, a 15.06% decline from the $681.40 million recorded in the same period of 2025, according to U.S. trade data.
The drop reflects both lower volumes and weaker demand, with U.S. imports falling to 7.84 million barrels from 8.44 million barrels year-on-year. The sharpest decline occurred in March, when imports dropped to 1.54 million barrels from 4.64 million barrels in February.
Despite the fall, Nigeria remained one of Africa’s top crude suppliers to the U.S., though its share of African exports to America slipped to 34.8% in Q1 2026 from 61.7% a year earlier. Libya and Ghana increased their contributions over the period.
Industry analysts attribute the decline to shifting global supply patterns, rising U.S. domestic shale production, and operational challenges in Nigeria’s oil sector. NNPC Limited cited a leak on the Trans Forcados Pipeline that caused nearly five weeks of production cuts from late February.
The customs value of Nigerian crude imports, which excludes freight and insurance, stood at $561.69 million for Q1 2026, down 15.38% from $663.79 million in Q1 2025.
Total U.S. crude imports from Africa rose to $1.66 billion in Q1 2026 from $1.10 billion in 2025, indicating changing contributions among African exporters.
Energy experts note that while the decline does not signal a breakdown in U.S.-Nigeria energy ties, it highlights Nigeria’s exposure to fluctuations in global demand and domestic production constraints.
Crude exports remain a major source of foreign exchange and government revenue for Nigeria.
