Nigeria's Petrol Imports Drop 30% Amid Supply Decline

In September 2026, petrol imports into Nigeria fell by 30% as approved permit volumes were exhausted, with total petrol receipts declining by 23%. The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) reported that imports averaged 10.2 million litres per day (ML/D), down from 14.6 ML/D in August.

Domestic supply from the Dangote refinery also decreased by 21% to 28.5 ML/D from 35.9 ML/D. Total petrol receipts averaged 38.7 ML/D, compared to 50.5 ML/D in August.

Imports constituted approximately 26% of petrol received, while domestic sources supplied 74%. The state-owned refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna did not produce any petrol during the month.

The average petrol stock cover was 23.9 days, below the 30-day requirement. Dangote refinery produced 47.22 ML/D of petrol, with 28.50 ML/D for the domestic market and 15.47 ML/D exported.

One cargo of gasoline blendstock was imported from the UK to support production.