Japan seeks Nigerian oil amid Middle East supply disruption
Japan is contacting crude oil suppliers worldwide—including Nigeria—to secure alternative supplies as Middle East conflicts disrupt global energy flows. The Asian nation, which relies on the Middle East for 95% of its oil, plans to release 20 days of oil reserves from May and increase US imports fourfold while working to secure over half its oil via non-Strait of Hormuz routes by May.
This matters for Nigeria as Africa's largest oil producer specifically named among Japan's alternative suppliers. With Japan's usual Middle Eastern supplies threatened by Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Tokyo's active search for non-Middle East barrels creates potential export opportunities for Nigerian crude at a time when global buyers are scrambling for reliable sources.
Nigerian oil producers and traders should note Japan's strategic shift toward supply diversification. As of April 7, Japan held 228 days of oil reserves (143 days in public stockpile) and signaled willingness to engage new suppliers. Producers may want to explore channels through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company or ministry contacts to engage Japanese trading firms seeking stable, geopolitically lower-risk crude sources.