Despite Nigeria’s efforts to increase local production of petroleum products, over five billion liters of PMS and diesel were imported within a four-month period.
- Nigeria imported over 5 billion liters of PMS and diesel within a four-month period
- Efforts to increase domestic refining capacity have not reduced Nigeria’s reliance on fuel imports
- Dangote Group is in a court battle with the Nigerian government over import licenses for petrol
Between October 2024 and January 2025, Nigeria imported approximately 3.2 million metric tonnes of PMS and 980,485 metric tonnes of diesel.
This translates to around 4.29 billion liters of petrol and 1.153 billion liters of diesel, based on conversion rates of 1,341 liters per metric tonne for petrol and 1,176 liters per metric tonne for diesel.
THISDAY reports that the total value of Nigeria’s petrol and diesel imports from October 2024 to January 2025 exceeded N5.5 trillion, based on average landing costs.
The latest industry data reveals that in January 2025, NNPC and petroleum marketers imported over 458 million litres of petrol and 174 million litres of diesel.
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Several oil marketers, including BOVAS, Eternal Oil, and Rainoil, among others, participated in these imports, alongside the NNPC.
Nigeria’s continued reliance on fuel imports highlights the country’s persistent dependence on foreign fuel, despite efforts to increase domestic refining capacity, which has contributed to the devaluation of the naira.
Dangote challenges petrol import
Dangote Group, Nigeria’s largest refinery operator, is currently embroiled in a court battle with the Nigerian government.
The refinery is seeking a court order to stop the government from issuing import licenses to petrol importers, arguing that it can meet Nigeria’s petrol needs.
Last year, Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Group, urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and oil marketers to use his company’s stored petroleum products, revealing that he had one billion liters in storage at a significant cost.
He expressed frustration over continued imports, encouraging the NNPC and marketers to collect products from his refinery instead of buying from abroad.
However, the government’s regulatory arm, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) countered this claim, stating that Dangote Refinery is incapable of filling the gap in Nigeria’s petrol supply.
Idris Musa, a senior regulatory officer, emphasized that the NMDPRA’s primary function is to ensure a vibrant petroleum sector operated in line with international best practices, while also maintaining national energy security and preventing market abuse and unhealthy monopolies.
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The Nigerian government in November last year, announced the start of petrol production at the Port Harcourt refinery after extensive rehabilitation.
During the unveiling, NNPC officials showed stakeholders around the facility and began truck loading of petrol, diesel, and kerosene.
The Port Harcourt refinery consists of two units, with the old plant refining 60,000 barrels per day (bpd) and the new plant refining 150,000 bpd, totaling 210,000 bpd.
A month later, NNPCL also announced that the Warri refinery had resumed operations, focusing on producing and storing key products like Straight Run Kerosene, Automotive Gas Oil, and Naphtha.
The start of refinery operations led stakeholders, including oil marketers, to pledge to stop importing petroleum products.
However, in a surprising turn of events, the national oil company has continued to import fuel, contradicting earlier commitments.
