South Africa imported nearly 1 million barrels of Libyan crude oil in September, marking only the second time it has received a shipment from the North African producer since 2013, Attaqa reported.
The shipment highlights shifting trade flows in Africa’s oil market as supply disruptions in the Middle East reshape crude oil sourcing and prompt some countries to turn to less traditional suppliers.
According to Attaqa, which cited data from Washington-based Energy Research Unit, the previous recorded shipment of Libyan crude to South Africa was in August 2016, when imports amounted to just 79,000 barrels.
South Africa is not among the countries with long-term contracts to purchase Libyan crude, leading the research unit to suggest that the September cargo may have been acquired on the spot market or through local Libyan companies operating under an agency-sale mechanism.
Libya’s crude exports traditionally go mainly to European markets through long-term contracts, with Italy remaining the largest buyer because of its geographical proximity. However, African destinations have featured more prominently in recent months amid disruptions to oil supplies from the Gulf and Iraq, according to Attaqa.
Nigeria also emerged as a new buyer of Libyan crude in 2026, importing a combined 5 million barrels in two shipments. The first, amounting to around 2 million barrels, arrived in May, followed by a shipment of approximately 3 million barrels in July.
Egypt, meanwhile, received three shipments of Libyan crude during 2026, totalling around 3.26 million barrels. The cargoes amounted to 1.6 million barrels in February, 1 million in April and 630,000 in August, according to the report.
The shipments followed an agreement between Egypt and Libya in late March to supply at least 1 million barrels of crude per month, intended to compensate for suspended Kuwaiti crude supplies amid the regional conflict.
Tunisia also imported four shipments of Libyan crude in 2026, totalling 1.421 million barrels between March and August, the report said.
Despite the recent diversification of destinations, Europe remained the dominant market for Libyan crude during the first nine months of 2026. Four European countries imported an average of 771,000 barrels per day, accounting for about 65% of Libya’s seaborne crude exports.
Italy alone accounted for 41% of Libya’s total crude exports during the period, followed by Spain, Greece and France. Libya’s average seaborne crude exports stood at 1.19 million barrels per day, slightly below the 1.20 million barrels per day recorded during the same period in 2025, according to Energy Research Unit data.
The latest shipment underscores how changing supply conditions can open new trade routes for African crude producers, even as Europe continues to dominate demand for Libyan oil.
