The rebound was not limited to local production. Petrol imports surged by 80.27 percent, reaching an average of 52.1 million litres per day compared to 28.9 million litres the previous month. Together, both sources brought total daily supply for November to about 71.5 million litres, providing a much-needed buffer after the unusually low supply levels seen in September and October.
According to the NMDPRA, the heightened activity was partly deliberate. Regulatory planning focused on shoring up national stocks ahead of the traditionally high year-end fuel consumption period. Additional support came from NNPC Limited, which ramped up imports in its role as the supplier of last resort. Compounding the surge, 12 vessels originally slated for October discharge were delayed into November, adding to the month’s supply volume.
Despite the supply boost, daily consumption averaged 52.9 million litres, and national stock sufficiency was pegged at 16.65 days. Meanwhile, all four of NNPC Limited’s government-owned refineries remained offline with no confirmed restart date.
NNPC’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari, recently shed more light on the state of the facilities, stressing that significant upgrades are necessary before they can meet current fuel quality standards. He explained that even after ongoing rehabilitation works, the refineries would still fall short of the fuel quality produced by the Dangote Refinery and would remain below international benchmarks unless redesigned for higher-grade output.
The latest data reflect the country’s continued dependence on Dangote Refinery and imported petrol to meet demand, underscoring the urgency of modernising state-owned refineries to restore balance and competitiveness in the downstream sector.