The Dangote Refinery has achieved another milestone with the export of its first gasoline cargo to the United States. According to energy market intelligence firm Argus, a vessel named Gemini Pearl loaded about 300,000 barrels of gasoline from the refinery’s terminal on August 26, bound for discharge at either New York or New Jersey.
The transaction, reportedly facilitated by trading firm Vitol, has yet to be officially confirmed by the refinery’s management.
This development marks the first Nigerian gasoline cargo to head to the U.S., adding to Dangote’s growing global footprint. Earlier in June and July, the refinery exported three cargoes of refined products to the Middle East Gulf and Singapore.
Traders attributed the latest shipment to favourable arbitrage opportunities, as rising U.S. Atlantic Coast gasoline prices coincide with declining inventories.
Despite this progress, the refinery continues to face operational challenges. Market reports suggest its Residue Fluid Catalytic Cracker (RFCC) is running at about 45–50 per cent capacity. The unit was briefly shut down in August for maintenance but has since restarted, though issues such as high metals content in feedstock persist.
Meanwhile, Africa’s richest man and owner of the refinery, Aliko Dangote, has reiterated that his wealth was not inherited but built through personal effort and enterprise.
In an interview originally published by Bloomberg, which resurfaced online this week, Dangote reflected on his family’s affluent history. He acknowledged that his late great-grandfather, Alhaji Alhassan Dantata, was once the richest man in West Africa, and his father was also wealthy. However, he insisted that he chose not to rely on inherited fortune.
“One thing I’m very proud of is that I did not inherit any money from my father. I built everything from scratch,” Dangote said. “Whatever I inherited from him in assets, I gave to charity.”
He recounted starting out in Lagos as a cement trader after working briefly with his uncle, stressing that his success was rooted in identifying infrastructure needs.
“Cement builds infrastructure, and we need a lot of infrastructure,” he noted.
With its first U.S.-bound gasoline cargo, the $20 billion refinery continues to position itself as a key player in the global energy market, while its founder maintains his narrative as a self-made billionaire.
