Despite the recent start of operations at the Dangote Refinery and the reopening of two state-owned refineries, Nigeria still relies on fuel imports to meet over half of its daily petrol demand. This was confirmed by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) during a press briefing in Abuja.
Local Refineries Not Meeting Demand
Nigeria’s three functional refineries Port Harcourt (210,000 barrels per day), Warri (125,000 barrels per day), and Dangote (650,000 barrels per day) have a combined refining capacity of 985,000 barrels per day. However, these facilities currently contribute less than 50% of the country’s daily fuel consumption of 50 million litres.
NMDPRA Chief Executive Farouk Ahmed, represented by Executive Director Ogbugo Ukoha, explained that the shortfall is being covered by fuel imports. Without these imports, Nigeria would face severe petrol shortages.
Why is Nigeria Still Importing Fuel?
- Refineries Are Not Operating at Full Capacity: While the refineries have resumed operations, they are not yet producing enough petrol to meet national demand.
- No Local Imports by Refinery Owners: So far in 2025, none of the companies that own refineries including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Dangote have imported petrol. The gap has been filled by independent oil marketers.
- Decline in Fuel Consumption: Following the removal of the fuel subsidy in May 2023, daily petrol consumption dropped from 66 million litres to 50 million litres. However, local production still cannot meet this reduced demand.
Government’s Plan to Ensure Fuel Availability
Ukoha reassured Nigerians that there is no fuel shortage, as regulatory measures are in place to maintain supply. He emphasised that if necessary, authorities could require local refineries to import fuel to prevent scarcity.
Concerns Over Fuel Quality
Addressing concerns about fuel quality, NMDPRA stated that all imported petrol meets the required standards set by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and the Petroleum Industry Act 2021. The agency dismissed claims circulating on social media about substandard fuel, urging Nigerians to rely on verified sources for information.
Despite having large refining capacity, Nigeria still depends on fuel imports. Until local refineries can fully meet demand, the country will continue to rely on imports to avoid shortages. The government has assured the public that petrol supply remains stable, but Nigerians are hoping that local refining efforts will soon reduce dependence on foreign fuel.