…As NNPC resumed petrol import
By Charles Ebi
Data sourced from the latest Fact Sheet released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has revealed that daily petrol consumption in Nigeria dropped to an average of 52.9 million litres per day in November 2025.
The November figure marked a decline from the 56.74 million litres per day recorded in October 2025.
Of the total petrol consumed in November, 19.5 million litres per day were supplied by local refineries, higher than the 17.08 million litres per day recorded in October.
A major driver of this increase is the Dangote Refinery, supplying an average of 23.52 million litres per day, up from 18.03 million litres daily in the previous month.
The Fact Sheet showed that imports accounted for 52.1 million litres per day of total consumption an increase from 27.6 million litres per day in October.
The NMDPRA described Dangote’s current output as a significant milestone in reducing Nigeria’s reliance on imported fuel.
In contrast, the NNPC-operated Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries recorded zero petrol output during the period.
All three facilities remained in various states of rehabilitation or shutdown.
According to the regulator, the surge in imports was triggered by low supply levels in September and October 2025, which fell short of national demand, the need to shore up national stock ahead of end-of-year peak consumption, NNPC’s importation efforts to rebuild inventory and ensure supply security, and delayed offloading of 12 vessels initially scheduled for October but discharged in November.
October 2025 recorded the highest consumption within the one-year review period, followed by November 2024 (56 million litres) and April 2025 (55.2 million litres), the report noted.
Nigerians also consumed an average of 15.4 million litres/day of diesel daily in November, alongside 2.5 million litres/day of aviation fuel and 3,992mt/day of cooking gas.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has resumed importation of petrol, one year after announcing it has stopped importing the product.
On November 12, 2024, Mele Kyari, NNPC’s former group chief executive officer (GCEO), said the national oil company has stopped importing petroleum products.
However, in its ‘State of the Midstream and Downstream Fact Sheet’ for November 2025, published on Wednesday, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) said NNPC imported petrol last month.
NMDPRA said the importation of petrol by NNPC contributed to a significant increase in total petrol supply in November, as it jumped from 46 million litres in October to 71.5 million litres per day last month.
The authority reported that, of the total petrol supply, 52.1 million litres were imported, while local refineries supplied 19.5 million litres in November.
NMDPRA said the significant increase in petrol supply in November 2025 was also due to low supply recorded in September and October 2025, below the national demand threshold.
The authority also attributed the increase to efforts to boost national stock levels to meet the peak demand period of end-of-year festivities.
Additionally, the regulator cited “imports by the NNPC, the supplier of last resort, in November 2025, to build inventory and further guarantee supply during the peak demand period”.
Also, NMDPRA said 12 vessels which were originally scheduled to discharge in October spilled over into November, adding to petrol stocks.
“Domestic supply volumes are based on disport/discharged figures + refinery truck-outs,” NMDPRA added.
Further breakdown by the NMDPRA showed that Nigeria’s daily petrol consumption dropped to 52.9 million during the reviewed period, from 56.7 million litres in October — indicating a 6.7 percent decline.
Despite the consumption decline, the authority said the November figure was above the daily demand benchmark of 50 million litres.
Also, NMDPRA said in October, Nigerians consumed an average of 15.4 million litres of diesel and 2.5 million litres of aviation fuel.
According to the report, Dangote refinery supplied an average of 23.52 million litres of petrol per day in November.
In contrast, NMDPRA said the three refineries operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited produced no petrol during the period as they remained shut down.
However, the authority noted that the evacuation of diesel produced when the Port Harcourt refinery was operational before May 24, 2025, continued at an “average rate of 0.349 million litres per day”.
