Nigeria Sees Petrol Import Surge as NNPC Leads 1.56bn-Litre Supply Rebound in November
Nigeria’s petrol supply landscape shifted sharply in November as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited resumed large-scale importation of petrol, delivering the bulk of the country’s 1.56 billion litres supply for the month. This marks a major reversal from the company’s earlier announcement that it had stopped importing refined products, relying instead on local refineries. New figures from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority show that NNPC stepped in as the “supplier of last resort” to stabilise national stock after months of below-threshold supply.
According to the NMDPRA’s latest Fact Sheet, November’s import volume represented an 89 per cent jump from the 828 million litres recorded in October. With an average of 52.1 million litres imported per day, the country’s total petrol supply climbed to an unprecedented 71.5 million litres daily. Yet, despite the surge in availability, national consumption surprisingly declined to 52.9 million litres per day—an indication that demand slowed even as fuel marketers rebuilt inventory ahead of the festive rush.
The regulator attributed the spike to market corrections, noting that petrol supply in September and October had fallen short of national demand. Delayed vessels also played a role, with 12 shipments originally scheduled for October slipping into November. While the Dangote Refinery continued operations, its petrol output remained below target at an average of 23.5 million litres daily, leaving a supply gap that NNPC’s imports helped fill. Diesel output from the refinery was stronger, helping boost national diesel sufficiency.
Despite this inflow, Nigeria’s three government-owned refineries—Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna—remained idle, contributing nothing to petrol supply for another month. The Port Harcourt Refinery, shut since May 2025, only evacuated leftover diesel produced before its shutdown. As import dependence persists nearly two years after subsidy removal, concerns continue to mount over refinery rehabilitation timelines, fluctuating product availability, and the fragility of the downstream sector.
Industry players are urging greater stability. The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria called for clarity and consistency in product supply, noting contradictions between official reports and private-sector claims about domestic output. IPMAN spokesperson Chinedu Ukadike stressed that marketers simply want uninterrupted supply at an affordable cost, adding that foreign exchange levels and transparent import licensing remain essential for preventing inflation and ensuring that consumers receive petrol at the lowest possible price.
source: punch