Petrol imports remained the dominant source of fuel consumed in Nigeria in 2025, accounting for 62.47% of total Premium Motor Spirit use, according to data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
The trend persisted despite the start of operations and gradual ramp-up by domestic refineries, led by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, alongside state-owned and modular facilities, the regulator said in its latest midstream and downstream sector factsheet.
Total national petrol consumption stood at about 18.97 billion litres in 2025, with oil marketing companies importing 11.85 billion litres, underscoring Nigeria’s continued reliance on foreign supply. Domestic refineries supplied roughly 7.54 billion litres, or 37.53% of total consumption, the authority said.
The figures were calculated using daily average consumption applied to the number of days in each month and are based on volumes trucked into the domestic market. The data show that imports continued to dominate supply even as the Dangote refinery—the country’s only operational large-scale plant—expanded output during the year.
Petrol imports could fall in 2026 if the Federal Government proceeds with plans to impose a 15% import tariff on PMS, expected to take effect in the first quarter of 2025 under a policy memo approved by Bola Tinubu, the regulator said.
For decades, Nigeria—Africa’s largest crude oil producer—has relied heavily on imported petrol following the prolonged underperformance of state-owned refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri,and Kaduna. The reliance deepened as the facilities became largely dormant, forcing the country to meet demand through imports financed with scarce foreign exchange and, for years, supported by a costly subsidy regime.
