Nigeria regains position as Africa’s largest oil exporter

Nigeria’s crude oil exports are set to reach 1.84 million barrels per day (bpd) in July, PREMIUM TIMES has gathered.

The new figure is slightly higher because of a recovery in Forcados exports, according to the nation’s loading programmes seen Wednesday.

Forcados exports resumed at the end of May after a nearly complete shutdown since February 2016.

Meanwhile, the grade’s operator, Shell’s local subsidiary SPDC, issued an initial June schedule of 197,000 bpd.

It, however, increased the schedule to 252,000 bpd.

By the resumption, Nigeria returns to the status of Africa’s largest oil exporter, a title it lost to Angola in 2016.

The loss followed militant attacks on the nation’s oil infrastructure in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.

Production has since improved, following peaceful negotiations with leaders from the region.

Angola’s July exports are expected to be 1.55 million bpd, Reuters reports.

With a force majeure in place on Bonny Light, and loading delays of as much as 10 days, Nigeria’s export plans for June and July are likely to change.