Nigeria is increasingly serving as an alternative supplier of aviation fuel to Europe, as tensions from the US-Iran conflict disrupt Middle East supplies.

A recent cargo from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has already arrived in the United Kingdom.

Several European countries are now sourcing aviation fuel from the facility, particularly amid the supply tightness triggered by the US-Iran conflict, according to The PUNCH, citing a source at the Dangote refinery in Lekki, Lagos.

“Most European countries have been our main buyers,” the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the lack of authorization, confirmed.

They added that jet fuel prices are rising sharply amid the tensions in the Middle East.

The development comes after the Financial Times reported that the last known shipment of jet fuel from the Middle East to the United Kingdom is expected this week, sparking concerns over potential shortages as the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked.

Industry data cited in the report showed that a cargo of jet fuel from Nigeria arrived at Milford Haven in the UK on Monday, underscoring a shift in global supply chains as European buyers turn to alternative sources.

“The system doesn’t stop — it reshuffles. It’s really a story of rerouting and price adjusting, rather than an outright shortage,” the head of market engagement for the EMEA and APAC regions at Kpler, Matt Stanley, was quoted as saying.

The UK has traditionally depended on the Middle East for its jet fuel, sourcing at least half of its supplies from the region in recent months after moving away from Russian imports and facing declining domestic refining capacity.

The current disruption, however, has prompted European buyers to turn to West Africa and the United States for alternative cargoes.

Lars van Wageningen, research and consultancy manager at Insights Global, said European buyers are increasingly turning to West African refineries to fill the supply gap.

Europe sources around 40 percent of its jet fuel through the Strait of Hormuz, which is now nearly completely blocked, tightening supplies and pushing benchmark northwest European prices to $1,744 per tonne—roughly double pre-war levels, according to Argus Media.

Consultants warned that airlines could begin feeling the effects by the end of April if supply constraints persist.

Janiv Shah, Vice-President of Oil Markets at Rystad Energy, said, “Market understanding is that fuel shortages are not far away in some countries,” adding that “higher prices are set to ripple through the entire supply chain and will be felt by all.”

Despite the uncertainty, the UK government said shipments continue to arrive from multiple sources, including India, the United States, and the Netherlands, alongside smaller volumes from other countries.

The arrival of the Nigerian cargo highlights the expanding role of West African refiners—particularly the Dangote refinery—in supplying aviation fuel to Europe as traditional flows from the Middle East remain disrupted.