Data from the regulatory body revealed that petrol imports declined by 42.2 percent last month, dropping to 24.8 million litres per day from 42.8 million litres in December 2025. In contrast, supply from the Dangote Refinery to the domestic market rose by 25.3 percent to 40.1 million litres per day, up from 32 million litres in December.
Overall Supply and Consumption Trends
Total daily petrol availability in January 2026 averaged 64.9 million litres, representing a 12.5 percent decrease compared with 74.2 million litres in December. Despite the decline, the country recorded 33 days of petrol sufficiency, supported by a 13 percent increase in stock levels attributed to improved supply chain performance.
Although the benchmark daily consumption for petrol remains at 50 million litres, actual consumption averaged 60.2 million litres per day, based on truck-out data from depots. Other petroleum products recorded notable activity as well, with diesel (Automotive Gas Oil) truck-out volumes at 19.2 million litres per day, aviation fuel at 3.5 million litres, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) totaling 4,860 metric tonnes.
The NMDPRA report also highlighted operational capacities, noting that the Dangote Refinery ran at 61.27 percent capacity in January, while the three Federal Government-owned refineries managed by NNPC Limited remained non-operational.
Regulatory Outlook and Sector Reforms
Commenting on the state of the downstream and midstream sectors, NMDPRA Chief Executive Engr. Saidu Mohammed described the industry as experiencing an “irreversible renaissance,” driven by investments, reforms, and clear regulatory frameworks.
Under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the downstream market has become fully liberalised, with pricing increasingly guided by market fundamentals. Engr. Mohammed praised the Dangote Refinery for reducing import dependency and cutting potential fiscal losses of over N6 trillion.
He reassured stakeholders that regulatory oversight would remain “fair, firm, and decisive,” emphasizing that “regulation must enable value, not inhibit it,” and underscoring that “confidence is the true currency of any market.”