Nigeria Energy Import Partner India grows as India diversifies crude, LPG, and LNG imports from Africa amid geopolitical tensions

Nigeria is increasingly emerging as a strategic energy partner for India as the Asian nation intensifies efforts to diversify its import sources and reduce reliance on traditional supply routes affected by geopolitical tensions in West Asia.

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The growing importance of Nigeria Energy Import Partner India relations comes as India expands its procurement of crude oil, liquefied petroleum gas and liquefied natural gas from African countries, including Nigeria, Algeria and Angola, in response to disruptions linked to tensions involving Israel, the United States and Iran.

According to reports attributed to officials and cited by the Times of India, India has been actively broadening its energy supply network across multiple regions to ensure stability in fuel availability.

This shift has seen increased engagement with suppliers in Africa alongside traditional partners such as the United States, Russia, Canada and Norway.

For liquefied natural gas, discussions and shipments are also underway with countries including Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Mozambique, with some cargoes already secured and others at advanced negotiation stages.

The move reflects a broader strategy to strengthen supply resilience and reduce dependence on the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy chokepoint.

India currently imports between 5.5 and 5.6 million barrels of crude oil per day, with a significant portion previously routed through the Strait of Hormuz.

Prior to the recent tensions, about 40 to 45 per cent of these imports passed through the corridor, highlighting its strategic importance and vulnerability to disruption.

Officials noted that India has significantly diversified its crude sourcing base over the past decade, expanding from 27 countries to 41, while reducing reliance on the Strait of Hormuz to roughly 30 per cent.

This diversification has been supported in part by increased imports from African producers, strengthening Nigeria’s role in India’s evolving energy mix.

Liquefied petroleum gas imports also remain heavily dependent on external sources, with nearly 60 per cent of India’s annual demand of about 31 million tonnes met through imports.

A large share of these shipments previously transited through the Strait of Hormuz, further reinforcing the need for alternative supply routes.

Despite global uncertainties, Indian authorities have maintained that domestic inventories remain sufficient, with no major supply disruptions reported.

While there has been a temporary increase in LPG delivery timelines due to higher demand, officials expect normalisation as conditions stabilise.

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Overall, India’s strategy of diversifying its energy imports, coupled with growing engagement with African suppliers such as Nigeria, is positioning the country to better manage external shocks while maintaining steady access to critical energy resources.