Regulator blames surge on rising demand as NNPC refineries remain idle and Dangote Refinery drives local supply
Nigeria’s daily petrol consumption climbed to an average of 56.7 million litres in October 2025, according to new data released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The figures, contained in the authority’s October 2025 State of the Midstream and Downstream Fact Sheet, show that national petrol use jumped by 31.86 per cent, up from the 43 million litres consumed daily in September.
NMDPRA noted that between October 2024 and October 2025, Nigerians used an average of 661.5 million litres of petrol per month, underscoring a sustained rise in national demand.
Providing details of the supply mix for October, the authority said 27.6 million litres came from imports, while 17.08 million litres were produced domestically. It added that Nigerians consumed 17.13 million litres of diesel and 2.61 million litres of aviation fuel each day during the same month.
The regulator highlighted that the Dangote Refinery supplied an average of 18.03 million litres of petrol per day throughout the one-year period under review, positioning it as the primary domestic source of PMS.
In contrast, the three refineries operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited recorded zero petrol production between October 2024 and October 2025, as all facilities were either undergoing rehabilitation or maintenance.
According to the fact sheet, the Port Harcourt Refinery, which briefly resumed operations on November 26, 2024, was shut down again on May 24, 2025, for planned maintenance and a sustainability review. The Warri Refinery restarted operations on December 28, 2024, but was shut down less than a month later on January 25, 2025, due to critical safety concerns. The Kaduna Refinery remains under rehabilitation and has not produced fuel during the period.
The NMDPRA said the latest data reflects Nigeria’s ongoing transformation in the energy sector, emphasising efforts to reduce imports, strengthen local production, improve safety standards, create jobs, and enhance economic stability.
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