Petrol Imports Rise By 60% In May Despite Higher Local Supply

Petrol imports rose by about 60 per cent in May 2026, even as domestic supply increased, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) said, warning that lower consumption and shrinking reserve days add new complexities to the market.

The regulator said in its May Fact Sheet, covering May 1–31, that Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) imports climbed to 5.9 million litres per day (ML/D), indicating a 59.5 per cent month‑on‑month increase, while total daily petrol supply rose to 47.4 ML/D from 44.4 ML/D in April.

The report also showed that domestic refining accounted for 41.5 ML/D of that supply, with the Dangote Petroleum Refinery supplying the bulk of local volumes.

The NMDPRA said trucked‑out petrol consumption fell by 9.4 per cent to 46.3 ML/D in May from 51.1 ML/D in April, adding that the decline in construction and other economic activities contributed to lower fuel offtake.

It is, however, noted that supply remained below the country’s 50 ML/D benchmark for demand.

The authority said national petrol stock sufficiency fell to 16 days in May from 17.7 days in April, while reserves dropped as low as 13.75 days mid‑month before recovering to around 19 days by month‑end, adding that the thinner buffer increases vulnerability to supply shocks.

On refining, the NMDPRA said the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals operated at 101.25 per cent capacity utilisation in May, producing 44.7 ML/D of petrol. It said the refinery supplied 41.5 ML/D to the domestic market and exported other products, while Nigeria’s three state‑owned refineries — Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna — remained shut throughout the month.

The regulator said three modular refineries — WalterSmith, Edo and Aradel — operated and together supplied 0.648 ML/D, with Edo at 91.66 per cent utilisation, WalterSmith at 65.31 per cent, and Aradel at 62.94 per cent. It said the OPAC and Duport modular refineries were shut down.

According to the report, the rise in petrol imports, despite higher local output, reflected inventory management and market-balancing needs.

It said the 5.9 ML/D of imports in May followed a strategic decision by some marketers to replenish stocks after mid‑month dips in reserves and to cover shortfalls in regions where logistics or distribution constraints limited inland deliveries.

Commenting on diesel, the regulator said diesel imports fell to zero in May as Dangote ramped up domestic diesel output to 18.8 ML/D, up from 8.5 ML/D in April. It said total daily diesel supply rose 84.3 per cent to 18.8 ML/D and that national diesel stock sufficiency stood at 31 days, down from 39 days in April.

On aviation fuel and LPG, the NMDPRA said aviation turbine kerosene supply rose to 3.6 ML/D in May and consumption to 3.1 ML/D, slightly above the country’s 3 ML/D benchmark, with aviation fuel stocks at 94 days. It said liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supply fell 8.9 per cent to 4.1 kilotonnes per day (KT/D) while consumption eased to 4.5 KT/D, leaving an average daily supply shortfall.

The regulator said LPG retail prices ranged from N1,150 to N1,800 per kilogram and that national LPG stock was sufficient for 11 days.

The NMDPRA said indicative petrol pump prices, calculated using an average NFEM exchange rate of N1,370.82 per US dollar and a crude oil price of $107.56 per barrel, ranged from N1,377.43 per litre in Ibadan to N1,472.43 in Maiduguri.

It said actual monitored averages ranged from N1,317 per litre in Lagos to N1,408 per litre in Maiduguri, reflecting regional distribution and logistical differences.

Turning to gas, the regulator said total domestic gas supply dipped 3.1 per cent to 4.984 billion standard cubic feet per day (Bscf/d) in May from 5.142 Bscf/d in April. It said 2.851 Bscf/d went to the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) plant while 2.133 Bscf/d served the domestic market, meaning the export‑oriented NLNG continued to take a larger share of available gas than local users. It provided sectoral allocations, saying gas‑to‑power received 0.557 Bscf/d, commercial users 0.635 Bscf/d and gas‑based industries 0.510 Bscf/d.

The NMDPRA said several gas processing plants ran near or above design capacity — Soku at 100.28 per cent and Gbaran‑Ubie at 95.28 per cent — while others underperformed, including Utorogu NAG1&2 at 40.10 per cent and the OB/OB Associated Gas Plant at 22.11 per cent.

On infrastructure, the regulator reported that major gas pipeline projects were nearing completion, noting that the AKK Gas Pipeline was 94.3 per cent complete, the OB3 River Niger Crossing 96 per cent complete, and the ELPS Midline Compressor Project 94.88 per cent complete.

The Factsheet showed that the Odidi–Warri Expansion Project was 72.81 per cent complete, and the Escravos–Odidi Pipeline was 20.20 per cent complete.

The NMDPRA described the May statistics as evidence of Nigeria’s “strategic transformation in the energy sector, emphasising reduced imports, strengthened domestic production, job creation, safety improvements, and economic stability,” the fact sheet said.