Nigeria's Petrol Imports Surge Amid Domestic Supply Drop

In July 2026, Nigeria's petrol imports rose by 9% as domestic refinery supplies fell by 21%, according to statistics on the country's petroleum operations. Domestic petrol supply decreased from 32.5 million litres per day in June to 25.8 million litres per day in July, while imports increased from 18.1 million litres per day to 19.7 million litres per day.

The total Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) receipts dropped by 10%, from 50.6 million litres per day in June to 45.5 million litres per day in July. The decline in domestic supply is linked to a reduction in crude oil receipts by domestic refineries, which fell from 632,000 barrels per day in June to 585,000 barrels per day in July.

This trend underscores Nigeria's ongoing challenge to reduce its dependence on imported refined petroleum products, despite being a major crude oil producer in Africa. The emergence of private refining capacity, particularly the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, is part of efforts to rehabilitate and expand local production capabilities.