The volume of Premium Motor Spirit commonly known as petrol, imported into Nigeria dropped sharply in January 2026, falling by 42.2 per cent to 24.8 million litres per day from 42.8 million litres recorded in December 2025, according to a report released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
The report, issued over the weekend, showed that supplies from the $20bn Dangote Petroleum Refinery to the domestic market increased by 25.3 per cent in the same period, rising to 40.1 million litres per day in January from 32 million litres per day in December 2025.
Overall, total daily petrol supply stood at 64.9 million litres in January 2026, representing a 12.5 per cent decline from the 74.2 million litres supplied in December 2025.
The regulator noted that the country maintained 33 days of petrol sufficiency during the month.
“Days of sufficiency stock boosted by 13 per cent between December 2025 and January 2026 due to improved supply performance by DPRP,” the report added.
According to the Authority, although the daily consumption benchmark remained at 50 million litres, actual consumption based on truck-out data averaged 60.2 million litres per day.
It also reported average daily truck-out volumes of 19.2 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil (diesel), 3.5 million litres of aviation fuel, and 4,860 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas.
On refinery performance, the report said the Dangote facility operated at 61.27 per cent capacity in January, while the three Federal Government-owned refineries managed by NNPC Limited remained inactive.
Meanwhile, Wintersmith Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited has begun crude oil test runs for the second phase of its refinery project in Imo State, a move expected to boost domestic supply of petroleum products.
The refinery currently has an installed capacity of 5,000 barrels per day and was commissioned in November 2020. It produces diesel, Dual Purpose Kerosene, naphtha and heavy fuel oil for the local market.
Phase Two of the project, which is designed to significantly increase output, has been undergoing pre-commissioning activities since late 2025. Once completed, the expansion is expected to raise the refinery’s total capacity to about 50,000 barrels per day.
In its latest report, the NMDPRA confirmed that crude oil has begun flowing into the plant’s processing units as part of the commissioning process.
The regulator stated that “introduction of hydrocarbon commenced,” indicating that the facility has moved beyond mechanical completion into live operational testing.
Industry analysts believe the development signals progress in Nigeria’s modular refinery segment, which is considered key to reducing reliance on imported petroleum products, improving local value addition, and enhancing energy security.
If the expansion is completed successfully, it is expected to significantly increase domestic refining output, support industrial diesel supply, and help reduce foreign exchange pressure from fuel imports.
The development comes amid broader efforts by the Federal Government to strengthen local refining capacity and improve efficiency across the midstream and downstream sectors.
Speaking on the industry’s outlook, the Authority Chief Executive, Engr. Saidu Mohammed, said Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector “is witnessing an irreversible renaissance, driven by bold reforms, investment, and regulatory clarity.”
He added that under the Petroleum Industry Act, the downstream market is now fully liberalised and “no longer defined by scarcity and supply uncertainty,” with prices increasingly influenced by market forces.
On domestic refining, he described the Dangote Petroleum Refinery as a major game changer, noting that ongoing economic reforms have helped cut import-related fiscal losses of more than N6tn.
Engr. Mohammed assured stakeholders that the regulator would remain fair and decisive in supervising the midstream and downstream sectors.
He stressed the importance of regulation to long-term growth, stating that “regulation must enable value, not inhibit it,” and concluded that “confidence is the true currency of any market.”
