Nigeria’s crude oil exports to the United States dropped sharply in January 2026, marking a noticeable slowdown in demand from one of its key buyers.

Fresh data from U.S. trade agencies show that American imports of Nigerian crude fell from 3.15 million barrels in December to 1.66 million barrels in January. That is almost a 50 per cent drop in just one month.

In value terms, the story is the same. Nigeria earned about $115.99 million from crude sales to the U.S. in January, down from $217.36 million the previous month. The decline reflects a broader dip in how much crude the U.S. is sourcing overall, not just from Nigeria.

But Nigeria is not the only one feeling the shift.

Across Africa, the U.S. is sourcing differently. Countries like Angola and Ghana increased their crude exports to the U.S. during the same period, while Nigeria’s share of the market shrank to less than 1 per cent.

Still, crude oil remains Nigeria’s biggest export to the U.S., making up more than half of total trade between both countries. However, total U.S. imports from Nigeria also dropped from $297 million in December to $183 million in January.

Interestingly, while imports from Nigeria fell, the U.S. actually exported more goods to the country. This helped push the U.S. into a trade surplus with Nigeria for the month, meaning it sold more to Nigeria than it bought.

On the home front, Nigeria’s oil production tells a slightly different story. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) reported higher output in January, rising to 1.64 million barrels per day. Despite this, revenue dropped compared to the previous month, showing that higher production doesn’t always translate to higher earnings.

Looking at the bigger picture, this shift reflects changing global trade dynamics. U.S. demand for crude is easing, and competition among suppliers is increasing, especially within Africa.

It also comes at a time when global trade is being shaped by policy decisions and economic uncertainty, which continue to influence how countries buy and sell oil across borders.

For Nigeria, the numbers point to one clear reality: while production may be rising, maintaining strong export demand remains a bigger challenge.