Dangote Refinery Supplies Nearly 80% of Nigeria’s Petrol Demand as Fuel Imports Drop 37% in April
Nigeria’s fuel market witnessed a major shift in April 2026 as the Dangote Petroleum Refinery supplied nearly 80 percent of the country’s petrol consumption, according to the latest report released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority. The development came as petrol imports into the country dropped sharply by 37 percent, signaling increasing reliance on local refining capacity amid ongoing changes in the downstream oil sector.
The report showed that petrol supply from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery rose by 19 percent in April, reaching 40.7 million litres per day compared to 34.2 million litres recorded in March. Combined supply from the refinery and imports also increased to 44.4 million litres daily. However, imports declined significantly to 3.7 million litres per day, highlighting the refinery’s growing dominance in Nigeria’s fuel distribution market.
According to the regulator, the 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery operated at an impressive 99.12 percent capacity utilisation during the month and reportedly achieved full utilisation on most days in April. The refinery produced 53.6 million litres of premium motor spirit (PMS) daily, alongside 23.6 million litres of diesel and 22.9 million litres of kerosene and aviation fuel. With Nigeria’s average petrol consumption estimated at 51.1 million litres per day, the refinery alone accounted for about 79.64 percent of national demand.
The increase in local supply came amid multiple petrol price adjustments by the refinery between March and April due to fluctuations in global crude oil prices. In early April, the gantry price reportedly increased from N1,200 to about N1,275 per litre, while industry sources noted that prices were adjusted several times within a few weeks. Retail petrol prices across the country averaged N1,271.50 per litre in Lagos, N1,326 in Abuja, and N1,371.50 in Maiduguri during the period under review.
Despite the strong performance from private refining operations, Nigeria’s government-owned refineries — including the Port Harcourt Refining Company, Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, and Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company — remained inactive throughout April. Meanwhile, among modular refineries, Edo Refinery recorded the highest operational capacity at 79.2 percent. The report further revealed that Nigeria maintained 18 days of petrol sufficiency during the month, alongside stable diesel, aviation fuel, and cooking gas supply levels.
source: The cable