The United States significantly cut its imports of Nigerian crude oil in January 2026, with purchases falling nearly 47.2 per cent compared to December 2025, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

The U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services report shows that crude oil imports from Nigeria dropped to 1.664 million barrels in January, down from 3.149 million barrels in December, a monthly decline of 1.485 million barrels, highlighting a steep reduction in Nigeria’s share of the U.S. crude market.

The decline in Nigerian crude imports to the U.S. was equally pronounced in value terms. The customs value of shipments fell from $217.36 million in December 2025 to $115.99 million in January 2026, while the cost, insurance, and freight value dropped from $223.10 million to $118.95 million over the same period. The difference between the two measures reflects additional costs—such as shipping and insurance—included in CIF values but excluded from customs valuations.

In January, the CIF value exceeded the customs value by about $2.96 million, down from a $5.74 million gap in December, suggesting lower freight or insurance costs, or shorter shipping distances during the month.

The decline in Nigerian crude imports comes amid a broader slowdown in overall U.S. crude purchases, which fell from 198.29 million barrels in December 2025 to 188.21 million barrels in January 2026, a drop of about 5.1 per cent. Total import values also decreased, with customs valuations falling from $11.41 billion to $10.56 billion, and CIF values declining from $12.04 billion to $11.15 billion.

Within Africa, Nigeria lost ground to some peers. While total African crude exports to the U.S. held steady at 6.933 million barrels, Angola’s shipments surged sharply, rising from 575,000 barrels in December to 2.062 million barrels in January.

Ghana also emerged as a new supplier to the U.S., exporting 738,000 barrels in January after recording no measurable shipments in December. In contrast, Libya’s exports fell sharply, declining from 2.137 million barrels in December to 1.086 million barrels in January.

Nigeria’s share of total U.S. crude imports weakened further, accounting for roughly 0.88 per cent in January 2026, down from about 1.59 per cent in December, reflecting the sharp drop in volumes.

U.S. trade data also show that crude oil remains the dominant component of Nigeria’s exports to the United States. Total imports from Nigeria fell to $183 million in January, down from $297 million in December 2025.

With crude oil imports valued at $115.99 million on a customs basis and $118.95 million on a CIF basis, crude accounted for roughly 63.4–65.0 per cent of total U.S. imports from Nigeria in January 2026. This marks a decline from about 73.2 per cent in December, suggesting a relative moderation in crude’s dominance as overall imports fell.