Nigeria’s petrol imports dropped sharply in 2025 thanks to ramped-up output from the Dangote Refinery, according to fresh data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The NBS reports imports fell to N8.96 trillion last year, a N6.46 trillion or 41.9% reduction from N15.42 trillion in 2024, though still up N1.45 trillion or 19.3% over 2023 post-subsidy levels.
Dangote has boosted daily petrol production to 50 million liters as of early 2026, targeting 1.4 million barrels per day with expansions, despite price adjustments tied to soaring crude costs.
Yet imports lingered at N8.96 trillion through 2025, making petrol a top imported good amid downstream gaps, even as NBS data highlights the shift.
Aliko Dangote slammed the Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) for ongoing import licenses, especially for diesel and occasional petrol, claiming they allow “dirty” high-sulfur fuel from Russia to undercut local supply.
He noted his facility could hit 75 million liters daily, but “back-loading” persists despite NMDPRA’s March 2026 halt on new petrol licenses after Dangote covered 92% of February demand.
In 2025, Nigeria consumed 18.97 billion liters of petrol: 62.47% (11.85 billion liters) imported, 37.53% (7.54 billion liters) from local refineries like Dangote.
This comes despite high hopes for self-sufficiency after refinery investments and operations kicked off.