Nigeria’s Petrol Consumption Drops to 52.9 Million Litres in November Amid Rising Local Refinery Output
Nigeria’s petrol consumption declined to 52.9 million litres per day in November, signaling a slight slowdown in fuel demand across the country. The figure, released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), marks a drop from October’s 56.74 million litres per day, reflecting changing consumption patterns as the country heads into the year-end period.
Despite the lower demand, petrol supply remained strong, supported by both local refineries and imports. Local production increased to an average of 19.5 million litres per day, up from 17.08 million litres in October. Dangote Refinery drove the growth, raising output from 18.03 million litres daily in October to 23.52 million litres in November. While still short of its 35 million litres per day capacity, this rise is a major step toward reducing Nigeria’s reliance on imported fuel.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s public refineries continued to face operational setbacks. The Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna facilities recorded zero petrol output in November due to ongoing maintenance, rehabilitation, and safety concerns. To compensate for the shortfall, imports surged to 52.1 million litres per day, nearly double October’s 27.6 million litres, with NNPC acting as supplier of last resort to ensure national fuel security.
Beyond petrol, other fuel consumption also remained significant. Nigerians used an average of 15.4 million litres of diesel daily, 2.5 million litres of aviation fuel, and nearly 4,000 metric tonnes of cooking gas per day. NMDPRA emphasized that the verified data highlights the sector’s strategic transformation, including enhanced domestic production, job creation, safety improvements, and economic stability.
Looking ahead, Dangote Refinery has pledged to fully meet domestic petrol demand, with plans to supply 1.5 billion litres per month (50 million litres daily) starting December 2025. Production is expected to rise further to 1.7 billion litres monthly (57 million litres daily) from February 2026. With private refineries expanding capacity and imports stabilizing the market, Nigeria is gradually moving toward greater energy self-sufficiency despite challenges at public refineries.
source: The Sun