Petrol imports rise 4.6% as local supply recovers

n n

By Obas Esiedesa, Abuja

n

ABUJA — Nigeria’s petrol imports rose to 20.6 million litres per day (ml/d) in August 2026, even as supply from domestic refineries increased to 29.7ml/d, latest data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, has shown.

n

The August figures indicated a 4.6 per cent increase in petrol imports from 19.7ml/d recorded in July, while domestic refinery supply rose by 15.1 per cent from 25.8ml/d in the same period.

n

The figures were contained in the NMDPRA’s August 2026 Midstream and Downstream Sector Factsheet, released on Thursday.

n

Domestic refinery petrol supply, which had declined for three consecutive months, recovered in August.

n

It fell from 41.5ml/d in May to 32.5ml/d in June and 25.8ml/d in July, before rising to 29.7ml/d in August.

n

Despite the recovery, August’s domestic supply remained below the 40.7ml/d recorded in both January and April.

n

Meanwhile, petrol imports have risen steadily since June, when they stood at 18.1ml/d.

n

Imports increased to 19.7ml/d in July before reaching 20.6ml/d in August.

n

However, the August import volume remained below the 24.8ml/d recorded in January.

n

NMDPRA data showed that petrol imports were significantly lower between February and May, standing at 3.0ml/d in February, 5.9ml/d in March, 3.7ml/d in April and 5.9ml/d in May.

n

The latest figures indicate a simultaneous recovery in domestic refinery supply and increase in imported petrol volumes, pointing to a changing supply mix in the downstream petroleum market.

n n