Nigeria's Q1 2026 Petrol Consumption Reaches 4.93 Billion Litres

In the first quarter of 2026, Nigeria's petrol consumption totaled 4.93 billion litres, representing a 7.4% increase from 4.59 billion litres in the same period of 2025, according to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority's monthly data. Daily average consumption fell from 60.2 million litres in January to 47.3 million litres in March, indicating a shift in consumption patterns.

The breakdown shows January 2026 recorded 1.87 billion litres, February 1.59 billion litres, and March 1.47 billion litres. Comparatively, the first quarter of 2025 had a total consumption of 4.586 billion litres.

The analysis highlights a significant decline in March 2026, which fell below March 2025 figures by 7.1%, suggesting a potential inflection point in fuel demand due to price sensitivity following market deregulation. The data reflects the interplay between petrol consumption and fluctuating pump prices influenced by international crude oil movements and domestic refining costs.