Nigeria’s petrol imports recorded a dramatic increase of 207 percent in June, highlighting the country’s continued reliance on imported fuel despite growing domestic refining capacity. According to the latest performance factsheet released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), daily petrol imports rose sharply to 18.1 million litres from 5.9 million litres recorded in May, making it one of the most significant monthly increases seen this year.
The report revealed that while imports surged, domestic petrol supply fell by 22 percent to 32.5 million litres per day, down from 47.4 million litres in the previous month. However, Nigeria’s total average daily petrol supply still increased to 50.6 million litres in June, compared to 47.4 million litres in May, largely due to the higher volume of imported products entering the market.
Dangote Refinery remained the dominant force in local fuel production, delivering an average of 39.1 million litres of petrol per day during the month. Of this volume, 32.5 million litres was supplied to the domestic market, while 3.4 million litres was exported. The refinery also achieved an impressive average capacity utilisation rate of 101.36 percent, underscoring its growing role in Nigeria’s energy sector.
Fuel demand continued to rise across the country, with average daily petrol consumption increasing to 47.4 million litres in June from 46.3 million litres in May. Meanwhile, diesel consumption remained steady at 16 million litres per day, while aviation fuel consumption slipped slightly to 2.9 million litres daily. The NMDPRA also reported an improvement in national petrol stock sufficiency, which climbed to 20 days from 16.2 days in the previous month, offering a stronger buffer against potential supply disruptions.
Despite these gains, Nigeria’s state-owned refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna remained inactive throughout June. The regulator noted that modular refineries, including Walter Smith, Edo Refinery, and Aradel Refinery, continued operations and contributed to domestic diesel production. In addition, domestic refineries processed 19.12 million barrels of crude oil during the month, up from 17.92 million barrels in May, reflecting increased refining activity as the country pushes to strengthen local fuel production and reduce long-term dependence on imports.
source: The cable
