Nigeria’s Fuel Import Dependence Hits 69% in June as Local Refinery Output Remains Low

Nigeria’s reliance on imported fuel surged to 69% in June 2025, according to the latest report from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). The report, presented to the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), revealed that out of a total petrol consumption of 1.478 billion litres, only 455 million litres were produced locally, leaving over 1.023 billion litres to be imported.

This represents a significant decline in local refinery contributions, as the 1.478 billion litres consumed in June marked a 16.42% drop from the 1.768 billion litres recorded in May. Similarly, the total petrol truck-out in June fell to 1.44 billion litres from 1.68 billion litres in the previous month, highlighting the persistent supply challenges in the domestic refining sector.

On a daily average, Nigeria consumed 49.28 million litres of petrol in June. Of this, 34.1 million litres were imported while only 15.17 million litres came from local refineries, reflecting a 13.65% decrease from May’s daily supply average of 57.06 million litres. These figures underscore the country’s continued dependence on foreign fuel to meet domestic demand.

The report also highlighted diesel consumption trends, with Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) usage reaching 432.18 million litres in June—a 1.73% increase from May. Out of the total diesel consumed, 378.13 million litres were imported while just 58.05 million litres were supplied by local refineries. The daily diesel supply averaged 14.41 million litres, of which 12.6 million litres were imported.

Experts say the data underscores the urgent need to boost local refinery output and reduce import dependence. Initiatives such as partnerships between NEPZA and Dangote Refinery, aimed at lowering fuel prices and promoting the naira-for-crude policy, could play a key role in addressing the supply gap and stabilizing Nigeria’s energy sector.

Source: Business day