Nigeria Imports 15 billion Litres of Petrol Despite Production from Dangote Refinery

Nigeria imported about 15.01 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) between August 2024 and early October 2025, accounting for nearly 69 percent of the country’s total petrol supply within that 15-month period — despite the commencement of fuel production by the Dangote Refinery in September 2024.

Data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) revealed that total petrol supply stood at 21.68 billion litres, with domestic refineries contributing 6.67 billion litres, or 31 percent. The report, titled “Import vs Domestic Supply Performance (PMS Daily Average Supply – August 2024 to October 2025), highlighted a steady decline in imports as local refining increased.

According to the breakdown, imported fuel averaged 44.6 million litres daily in August 2024 and peaked at 54.3 million litres daily in September 2024, just as the Dangote Refinery began supplying to the local market. Import volumes then dropped progressively to 24.15 million litres daily in January 2025, 19.26 million litres in September, and 15.11 million litres in the first ten days of October 2025.

During this period, domestic output grew from 6.43 million litres daily in September 2024 to 22.66 million litres in January 2025, stabilizing around 20 million litres daily in subsequent months. By October 2025, local refining surpassed imports, producing 18.93 million litres per day.

The report also showed a downward trend in total national supply — from 60.73 million litres per day in September 2024 to 34.04 million litres in October 2025 — reflecting both reduced demand and changing supply patterns.

This trend follows the Federal Government’s full deregulation of the petrol sector in September 2024, which ended fuel subsidies previously managed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

While the Dangote Refinery continues to expand its domestic share, importers have accused the company of undercutting the market through aggressive price reductions. Despite this, Dangote officials insist the refinery has sufficient capacity to meet local demand and export surplus production.

The refinery reportedly holds over 310 million litres of petrol in storage, with the Vice President of Dangote Industries, Devakumar Edwin, stating,

“Any number of tankers brought for loading will be served. We have more than 310 million litres available, in addition to ongoing production.”

In recent months, the refinery has also exported large volumes of petrol, aviation fuel, and diesel to other countries, including the Middle East and the United States. Between June and July 2025, Dangote confirmed the export of about one million tonnes of petrol, marking Nigeria’s emergence as a net exporter of refined products.

NMDPRA Chief Executive, Farouk Ahmed, acknowledged the refinery’s impact, stating that the plant currently supplies an average of 20 million litres of petrol daily to the domestic market.

The data underscores a transformative shift in Nigeria’s fuel supply chain, with local refining capacity steadily reducing dependence on imports. However, experts note that market competition and pricing dynamics will continue to shape the pace of achieving full self-sufficiency in fuel production.