Nigeria’s daily petrol imports plunged by 42.2% in January 2026, falling to 24.8 million litres from 42.8 million litres in December 2025, new data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has revealed.
The sharp decline in imports came as the Dangote Petroleum Refinery significantly increased its domestic supply, delivering 40.1 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) per day in January—a 25.3% jump from the 32 million litres supplied in December 2025.
Despite the increased local production, total daily petrol supply contracted by 12.5% to 64.9 million litres in January, down from 74.2 million litres the previous month. However, the country maintained 33 days of petrol sufficiency, supported by a 13% rise in stock levels driven by improved supply performance, according to the NMDPRA report.
Actual consumption averaged 60.2 million litres daily based on truck-out data, exceeding the 50-million-litre benchmark. Other petroleum products recorded daily truck-out volumes of 19.2 million litres for diesel, 3.5 million litres for aviation fuel, and 4,860 metric tonnes for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
The $20 billion Dangote Refinery operated at 61.27% capacity during January, while the three federal government-owned refineries under NNPC Limited remained offline.
NMDPRA Chief Executive Engr. Saidu Mohammed described Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector as undergoing an “irreversible renaissance,” fueled by regulatory reforms, increased investment, and market liberalization under the Petroleum Industry Act.
He credited the Dangote Refinery with helping to slash import-related fiscal losses exceeding N6 trillion and emphasized that pricing is now increasingly market-driven. Mohammed assured stakeholders of a regulatory environment that is “fair, firm, and decisive,” noting that “regulation must enable value, not inhibit it” and that “confidence is the true currency.”
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