The United States sharply reduced its imports of Nigerian crude oil in January 2026, with volumes dropping by about 47.16 per cent month-on-month, according to the latest data from U.S. trade agencies.
Figures from the U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services report showed that crude imports from Nigeria fell to 1.664 million barrels in January, down from 3.149 million barrels recorded in December 2025.
The decline represents a drop of 1.485 million barrels within one month, signalling a significant contraction in Nigeria’s share of the U.S. crude market.
In value terms, Nigerian crude exports to the U.S. also fell sharply.
The customs value dropped from $217.36 million in December to $115.99 million in January, while the cost, insurance, and freight value declined from $223.10 million to $118.95 million during the same period.
The contraction occurred alongside a broader decline in total U.S. crude imports, which fell from 198.29 million barrels in December to 188.21 million barrels in January, representing a 5.1 per cent decrease.
Within Africa, Nigeria lost market share to some competitors. Angola recorded a sharp increase in exports to the U.S., rising from 575,000 barrels in December to 2.062 million barrels in January, while Ghana emerged as a new supplier with 738,000 barrels during the month.
Nigeria’s share of total U.S. crude imports also declined significantly, accounting for about 0.88 per cent in January, compared to 1.59 per cent in December.
Further analysis showed that crude oil remained Nigeria’s dominant export to the U.S., accounting for about 63 to 65 per cent of total U.S. imports from Nigeria in January, although this was lower than the 73.2 per cent recorded in December.
Meanwhile, the U.S. recorded a $419 million goods trade surplus with Nigeria in January, up from $84 million in December, driven by an increase in American exports to Nigeria.
Despite the drop in exports to the U.S., Nigeria’s oil production rose slightly to 1.64 million barrels per day in January, up from 1.55 million barrels per day in December, according to the latest operational report from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
