Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, imported approximately 15 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, between August 2024 and early October 2025, accounting for 69% of the country’s total petrol consumption during this period. This reliance on imports persists despite the operational start of the Dangote Refinery, which began producing petrol in September 2024, according to data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The NMDPRA’s report, covering 15 months of petrol supply trends, indicates that Nigeria consumed a total of 21.68 billion litres of PMS during this period. Of this, locally refined petrol from the Dangote Refinery contributed 6.67 billion litres, or 31%, while imports made up the remaining 15.01 billion litres. The data highlights a gradual shift toward domestic refining, with local production steadily increasing, but imports still dominating the market.
In August 2024, before the Dangote Refinery began supplying petrol, imports averaged 44.6 million litres per day. This figure peaked in September 2024 at 54.3 million litres daily, coinciding with the refinery’s entry into the market. However, imports began to decline in subsequent months, dropping to 24.15 million litres per day in January 2025, 19.26 million litres in September 2025, and 15.11 million litres in the first 10 days of October 2025. This reduction reflects the growing influence of the Dangote Refinery, which by October 2025 was producing 18.93 million litres daily, surpassing imports for that month.
Local production has also seen significant growth. Starting at 6.43 million litres per day in September 2024, domestic output rose to a high of 22.66 million litres per day in January 2025 before stabilizing at around 20 million litres daily. Despite this progress, the refinery faces challenges from petrol importers, who have accused Aliko Dangote, the refinery’s owner, of undercutting competitors through frequent price reductions.
The data also reveals fluctuations in Nigeria’s overall petrol supply. Total daily PMS supply reached a high of 60.73 million litres in September 2024 but fell to 44.08 million litres in April 2025 and further to 34.04 million litres by early October 2025. This decline suggests a significant drop in daily petrol consumption, which fell from 60.73 million litres in September 2024 to 34.04 million litres in October 2025.
The shift in Nigeria’s petrol market follows the federal government’s decision in September 2024 to fully deregulate the sector, ending decades-long fuel subsidies previously managed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). The move has paved the way for increased local refining capacity, with the Dangote Refinery playing a pivotal role.
Despite the rise in domestic production, Nigeria’s heavy reliance on imported petrol underscores the challenges of transitioning to self-sufficiency. The NMDPRA data indicates that while local refining is gaining ground, imports remain a critical component of the nation’s fuel supply, highlighting the need for further investment in domestic refining infrastructure to reduce dependence on foreign petrol.
