By Fortune Madondo

Charity begins at home. Africa, wake up: sell to each other, buy from each other. Why import oil from abroad when Nigeria and Angola — two of the continent’s biggest exporters — are struggling to find buyers?

Oil Without Buyers

By mid-December 2025, 20 million barrels of Nigerian crude for December–January loading remained unsold. Angola still had five to six cargoes available. Such overhang is unusual, especially in peak trading months.

Why the Struggle?

Analysts cite several factors:

• Global surplus: Oversupply drives prices down; buyers chase the cheapest barrels.
• Oil grade: Middle Eastern crude is displacing West African grades.
• Technology gap: Limited refining and storage capacity force Africa to export crude, then re-import refined fuel at a higher cost.
• Governance concerns: Transparency issues and oil theft undermine confidence.
• Middlemen: Narratives favouring Middle Eastern oil distort perceptions.
• Logistics: Asian buyers prefer Middle Eastern suppliers for lower prices and shorter shipping routes.

The Missed Opportunity

Africa trades only 13–16% within itself, while 84–87% of trade is external. This imbalance is crippling. If African nations bought African oil, fuel prices would drop, economies would grow, jobs would multiply, and industries would thrive.

Imagine the Alternatives

• SADC nations spend $12 billion yearly on Middle Eastern fuel, while Angola sits on 7 billion barrels.
• Zambia imports 360 million litres from Saudi Arabia, though Angola next door offers fuel 25–40% cheaper.
• Money spent abroad builds skyscrapers in Dubai, while Africa remains fragmented and dependent.

The Call

Africa’s disunity is enriching others. Why not prioritise intra-African trade? Why not refine oil locally, trade in local currencies, and build self-sufficiency? Nigeria and Angola could anchor continental energy independence. Instead, leaders chase Western approval — a lingering colonial mentality.

Africa must break this cycle. Buy Africa. Sell Africa. Build Africa

AfCFTA: Africa’s Path to Unity and Growth

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is a landmark African Union agreement, uniting 55 countries into a single market of 1.5 billion people with a combined GDP of $3.4 trillion. Signed in 2018 and launched in 2021, AfCFTA is the largest free trade area in the world by population and geography. Full implementation could transform Africa’s economy, reduce poverty, and boost GDP by an estimated 10%.

Yet progress is slow. Poor infrastructure and nationalist thinking — countries prioritising narrow interests over continental integration — remain major obstacles.

Towards a Single African Currency

A single African currency, modelled on the European Union, would remove currency barriers and accelerate intra-African trade. Today, only 13–16% of Africa’s trade is internal, while 84–87% is external. A common currency would:

• Eliminate exchange rate risks and transaction costs.
• Make prices transparent and comparable across borders, fostering competition.
• Stabilise goods and services prices.
• Attract foreign direct investment by reducing perceived risks.
• Strengthen Africa’s negotiating power in global trade and diplomacy.
• Boost tourism and symbolise Pan-African unity.

Such a currency would not only simplify trade but also serve as a powerful political and cultural statement of shared identity.

Conclusion: Africa Must Drink Its Own Oil

It is unacceptable that Nigeria and Angola struggle to sell oilwhile over80% of African nations import from the Middle East. The African Union should prioritise intra-African oil trade, banning external imports and enabling Angola and Nigeria to supply the continent.

Africa’s weakness lies in disunity: weak currencies, corruption, and a persistent inferiority complex that favours foreign approval over self-reliance. Without economic unity, Africa will remain at the mercy of external interests. The colonial Berlin Borders system was designed to divide and exploit — and its legacy still undermines integration today.

It is time for Africa to break free. Buy Africa. Trade Africa. Build Africa. Only then can the continent control its resources and future.

F. Madondo (African Teacher) fortmada123@gmail.com

References

Why Nigerian and Angolan Oil Struggling To Find Buyers? Available at www.trtafrika.com