The Federal Government has approved new petrol import licences for six oil marketing companies, signalling continued reliance on fuel imports despite rising output from local refineries.
According to Punch news, the licences were issued through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to NIPCO, AA Rano, Matrix, Shafa, Pinnacle and Bono, authorising a combined import volume of 720,000 metric tonnes of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol).
Breakdown of the approvals shows AA Rano and Matrix were allocated 150,000 metric tonnes each, while NIPCO, Shafa and Pinnacle received 120,000 metric tonnes apiece. Bono was allocated 60,000 metric tonnes, bringing the total to 720,000 metric tonnes.
An official of the NMDPRA, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the issuance of the licences, insisting the regulator had not placed any outright ban on fuel importation. According to the official, “There was never an embargo on importation. The position of the authority had always been clear. Energy security for the nation is paramount.”
The official added that Nigeria’s fuel supply framework is deliberately structured to combine domestic refining with imports where necessary, in order to prevent supply gaps in the market.
The development comes amid ongoing claims by the NMDPRA that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery now supplies over 90 per cent of Nigeria’s daily petrol demand, raising questions over why additional import licences are still being approved.
Earlier statements credited to the former Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, had suggested that Nigeria no longer needed large-scale petrol importation following the start of operations at the Dangote refinery. He warned against reversing gains made in local refining.
“Today, we have a refinery that meets our requirements. But there are still people who want us to remain in phase three of importation,” he said, adding that sustained policy discipline was needed to protect local refining capacity.
However, stakeholders in the downstream sector remain divided. While some argue that imports provide a safety net for energy security, others insist that continued licensing of importers could undermine local refining investments and distort the market.
The Dangote refinery has also maintained that it has the capacity to meet a significant share of domestic demand, with company sources previously warning that excessive importation could force it to redirect output to export markets if the local market is not adequately protected.
For now, the NMDPRA maintains that its approach is guided by supply stability, especially in a market still adjusting to the balance between local refining output and import dependence.