Daily fuel demand in Nigeria rose by 8% in April, driven by a surge in local production from the Dangote Refinery, while imports continue to crash.
New data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) shows that Nigeria’s average daily consumption of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) reached 51.1 million litres in April 2026. This is a significant increase from the 47.3 million litres recorded in March.
The April 2026 Factsheet highlights a transformative month for the nation’s energy sector, marked by domestic refining’s dominance over imports.
Dangote Refinery Powers National Fuel Supply
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has solidified its position as the primary source of Nigeria’s fuel. In April, the facility achieved a near-total capacity utilisation rate of 99.12%, even hitting 100% on specific days.
Key statistics from the refinery include:
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Total Daily Output: 53.6 million litres of petrol.
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Domestic Contribution: 40.7 million litres daily (meeting the bulk of national demand).
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Exports: 17.1 million litres daily sent to international markets.
As local production scaled up, fuel imports plummeted to just 3.7 million litres per day, down from 5.9 million litres in March.
Performance of Modular and NNPC Refineries
While the Dangote mega-plant led the market, Nigeria’s modular refineries showed mixed results in April:
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Edo Refinery: 79.2% capacity utilisation.
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WalterSmith Refinery: 56.14% capacity utilisation.
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Aradel Refinery: 39.5% capacity utilisation.
Combined, these three modular plants contributed roughly 0.559 million litres per day. However, the state-owned NNPC refineries in Warri and Kaduna remained dormant, recording zero production for the month as rehabilitation works continue.
The Crude Oil Supply Gap
Despite the rise in petrol consumption and refining efficiency, the report flagged a decline in Domestic Crude Oil Supply (DCOS).
Refineries received an average of 0.612 million barrels per day (bpd) in April, a drop from the 0.674 million bpd supplied in March. This comes despite Nigeria’s total crude oil production rising to 1.66 million bpd, suggesting that logistics and supply agreements remain a bottleneck for local refiners.
Key Takeaways for May 2026
The April data confirms that Nigeria is successfully pivoting away from its decade-long reliance on imported petrol. With the Dangote Refinery operating at peak capacity, the focus for the second quarter of 2026 will likely shift to resolving crude supply disputes to ensure the sustainability of this domestic energy security.
