Nigeria’s changing role in the regional fuel market will be in focus at African Energy Week (AEW) 2026, where Abuja-based energy trader SKA Supply & Trading will participate as a Bronze Partner and its CEO, Mohammed Gabdo, will join discussions on the country’s evolving downstream sector.
SKA trades and distributes gasoline, gasoil, kerosene, LPG, LNG, and CNG while also supporting crude oil and condensate exports. Its operations span international procurement, domestic distribution, and retail, giving the company a position across several parts of Nigeria’s downstream supply chain. SKA works through 22 strategic petroleum depots and serves more than 500 B2B clients, according to AEW.
The company’s participation comes as Nigeria’s emergence as a supplier of refined petroleum products begins to reshape regional trade. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), seaborne petroleum product shipments from Nigeria averaged 561,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 79,000 bpd in 2023. Exports accounted for 350,000 bpd, while another 211,000 bpd moved between Nigerian ports.
The increase has been driven largely by the ramp-up of the Dangote refinery. Following maintenance completed in February 2026, the refinery’s crude distillation capacity increased from 650,000 bpd to 700,000 bpd. EIA data shows that Nigerian petroleum product exports to other African countries reached nearly 120,000 bpd in the second quarter, up from 89,000 bpd in 2025, while exports to Europe averaged 130,000 bpd.
From Refining to Distribution
As more refined products enter Nigeria’s domestic market and move toward neighboring countries, traders and distributors are becoming an increasingly important link between producers and end users. SKA imports fuel and gas products, distributes them through its depot network, and supplies retail stations and commercial fleets. Its export operations also connect Nigerian crude oil and condensates with international buyers.
“Nigeria refines much more of its own fuel now, which changes the landscape for everyone moving product around the country and across the region,” said African Energy Chamber Executive Chairman NJ Ayuk. “Traders like SKA understand how fuel gets from the depot to the customer, and we want that knowledge in the room in Cape Town alongside the producers and the financiers.”
Gas is another part of the changing market. NMDPRA data cited in recent reporting puts Nigeria’s annual LPG requirement at about 1.42 million metric tons, with local sources accounting for 88.2% of supply in 2026 year-to-date, compared with 82.4% in 2025. The shift highlights the growing role of domestic producers in meeting demand for cooking gas and gives local traders a larger role in moving supplies to consumers.
AEW 2026 will bring more than 9,000 delegates from over 100 countries to Cape Town from October 12–16, including government officials, national oil companies, utilities, investors, lenders, and project developers. SKA’s participation adds a downstream trading perspective to the event as Nigeria’s expanding refining and gas supply reshapes how energy products move within the country and across African markets.
AEW 2026 takes place October 12-16 in Cape Town.
To register, visit:
www.aecweek-registration.com/2026/
or contact [email protected]
