Nigeria's Petrol Imports Surge 59.5% Amid Refinery Output

In May, Nigeria experienced a 59.5% increase in petrol imports, amounting to 3.7 million liters per day, as reported by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). This surge occurred despite Dangote Refinery's output of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) being entirely directed to the domestic market, with no exports.

The refinery supplied 41.5 million liters of petrol daily, while total daily consumption in Nigeria stood at 46.3 million liters, indicating that imports accounted for 12.4% of the total petrol supply during the month. The report also highlighted that the refinery operated at an average capacity utilization of 101.25% in May.

Additionally, diesel supply rose by 84.3% to 10.2 million liters daily, driven by domestic production, while aviation fuel supply increased by 38.5%. The data underscores the ongoing challenges in Nigeria's downstream market and the critical role of imports in meeting energy needs.