Nigeria’s dependence on imported petrol deepened in November as marketers blamed the continued dormancy of government-owned refineries for the surge in imports. Data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) show that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and other marketers imported about 1.5 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in the month, highlighting the country’s ongoing struggle to meet local fuel demand.
Industry players say the situation has persisted because the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries remain largely non-functional, leaving the $20bn Lekki-based Dangote Refinery as the only major domestic producer of petrol. While the refinery supplied about 19.5 million litres per day in November, regulators approved import licences for up to 52 million litres daily to bridge the supply gap and meet rising demand during the end-of-year festive period.
According to the NMDPRA, imports rose sharply after domestic supply fell below national demand levels in September and October. Dangote’s output dropped slightly during those months, while imports climbed to prevent shortages and price spikes. Officials also disclosed that some fuel vessels scheduled for October discharge spilled into November, further inflating the import figures.
Marketers insist the heavy reliance on imports could have been avoided if government refineries were operational. The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) argue that the Petroleum Industry Act discourages imports once local production is sufficient. IPMAN spokesperson Chinedu Ukadike said import licences were issued mainly to prevent scarcity and inflation, stressing that the real problem remains the failure of the NNPC refineries to produce fuel.
Calls have since intensified for urgent government action. Marketers are urging President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency on the refineries, while others advocate privatisation or stronger technical partnerships. Despite billions of dollars spent on rehabilitation over the years, the facilities remain idle, fuelling debate over their future and keeping Nigeria heavily reliant on imported petrol even as local refining capacity grows.
source: punch