KEY POINTS
- Daily petrol imports fell 42.2 percent to 24.8 million litres in January 2026.
- Dangote Refinery supply rose 25.3 percent to 40.1 million litres per day.
- Nigeria recorded 33 days of petrol sufficiency during the month.
Nigeria daily petrol imports fell sharply in January, declining by 42.2 percent to 24.8 million litres per day from 42.8 million litres recorded in December, according to new data released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
The report, published over the weekend, shows a shift in supply dynamics as domestic refining capacity strengthens. Supply from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery rose by 25.3 percent during the same period to 40.1 million litres per day, up from 32 million litres in December.
Imports fall as Dangote supply rises
Total daily petrol supply in January stood at 64.9 million litres, representing a 12.5 percent drop compared with 74.2 million litres supplied in December.
The authority said the country recorded 33 days of petrol sufficiency in January. Stock levels improved by 13 percent between December and January, supported by stronger output performance.
While the official daily consumption benchmark remains at 50 million litres, actual consumption based on truck out data averaged 60.2 million litres per day for petrol. Daily truck out volumes also reached 19.2 million litres for Automotive Gas Oil, commonly known as diesel, 3.5 million litres for aviation fuel and 4,860 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas.
Dangote Refinery operated at 61.27 percent of installed capacity during the month, according to the regulator. Meanwhile, the three Federal Government owned refineries managed by NNPC Limited remained shut.
Modular refinery expansion gathers pace
Activity in the modular refining segment also gathered pace. Wintersmith Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited has begun crude oil test runs on the second phase of its Imo State refinery.
The facility currently has an installed capacity of 5,000 barrels per day and produces diesel, dual purpose kerosene, naphtha and heavy fuel oil for the domestic market. Commissioned in November 2020, it is undergoing expansion aimed at lifting total capacity to about 50,000 barrels per day.
According to Vanguard, NMDPRA confirmed that the refinery has started introducing crude oil into its processing units as part of commissioning, signalling a move from mechanical completion to live operational testing.
Industry analysts view progress in modular refining as central to reducing reliance on imported petroleum products and strengthening domestic energy security. Increased local refining is also expected to ease pressure on foreign exchange previously used for fuel imports.
The data come as Nigeria continues efforts to deepen reforms in the midstream and downstream petroleum sectors under the Petroleum Industry Act.
Regulator cites downstream sector reforms
NMDPRA Chief Executive Saidu Mohammed said the downstream market is undergoing what he described as an irreversible renaissance driven by reforms, investment and regulatory clarity.
He said the market is no longer defined by scarcity and supply uncertainty, with pricing increasingly guided by market fundamentals. He described the Dangote Petroleum Refinery as a major game changer and linked recent reforms to a reduction in import related fiscal losses estimated at more than six trillion naira.
Mohammed added that effective regulation remains essential to sustainable sector growth, stressing that oversight must enable value creation while ensuring confidence in the market.
