Middle Eastern barrels have continued to dominate the oft-overlooked East Africa market in 2025, with a whopping 77% of the region’s 685,000 b/d imports coming from the Mideast Gulf, according to data from intelligence firm Kpler. The ‘big four’ products exporters – Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, and Kuwait – account for in excess of 95% of this flow.
Saudi Arabia’s role in the trade has been squeezed in recent years, ceding market share to Kuwait and Oman, as it instead delivers more volumes to Europe (MEES, 1 August). Kuwaiti exports to East Africa increased from 56,000 b/d in 2021 to a record 97,000 b/d last year, thanks to the clean fuels project (CFP) refinery upgrades and completion of the 615,000 b/d Al Zour refinery. Meanwhile Oman’s share of the trade increased from 37,000 b/d in 2023 to 85,000 b/d last year after the mid-2023 startup of the 255,000 b/d export-focused Duqm refinery. (CONTINUED - 753 WORDS)
