U.S. Cuts Nigeria's Crude Oil Imports by 47% in January

In January 2026, the United States significantly cut its crude oil imports from Nigeria, with a reported decrease of 47.16% month-on-month, bringing the total to 1.664 million barrels, down from 3.149 million barrels in December 2025. This decline represents a drop of 1.485 million barrels within one month and indicates a notable contraction in Nigeria's share of the U.S. crude market.

The value of Nigerian crude exports to the U.S. also fell sharply, with customs value dropping from $217.36 million in December to $115.99 million in January, while the cost, including insurance and freight, decreased from $223.10 million to $118.95 million during the same period. Overall, Nigeria's share of total U.S. crude imports fell to 0.88% in January from 1.59% in December.

Despite this decline, crude oil remains Nigeria's dominant export, accounting for 63.65% of total U.S. imports from Nigeria in January, although this is lower than the 73.2% recorded in December.