Nigeria’s daily petrol consumption rose to an average of 56.74 million litres in October 2025.
This is according to the latest Fact Sheet released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The figure, according to the regulator, represents the total nationwide demand recorded across fuel distribution channels during the month.
The regulatory authority noted that of the total consumption, 27.6 million litres were imported, while 17.08 million litres were supplied by local refineries.
This continued shift toward domestic production, it added, reflects gradual progress in the government’s drive to enhance self-sufficiency in petroleum supply.
Over a one-year period—from October 2024 to October 2025—Nigeria consumed an average of 661.5 million litres of petrol monthly, demonstrating the country’s sustained high demand for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
Consumption trends and supply dynamics
The Fact Sheet also revealed that an average of 44.7 million litres of PMS was supplied to the domestic market daily in October.
Consumption for the month represented the peak within the one-year period under review, followed closely by November 2024 (56 million litres) and April 2025 (55.2 million litres).
A key highlight of the report is the performance of the Dangote Refinery, which supplied an average of 18.03 million litres of PMS daily.
This, according to the report, is still below its planned full refining capacity of 35 million litres per day, but the NMDPRA described it as a significant milestone in reducing Nigeria’s reliance on imported fuel.
In contrast, the three refineries operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) recorded no PMS output during the period, as they remained under various stages of rehabilitation or maintenance.
Status of Nigeria’s Public Refineries
Port Harcourt Refinery restarted operations in late 2024 but was shut down again in May 2025 for planned maintenance and sustainability checks.
- Warri Refinery resumed operations on 28 December 2024 but shut down barely a month later—on 25 January 2025—due to “critical safety concerns.”
- Kaduna Refinery remains under rehabilitation, with no production recorded.
The state of the refineries continues to shape Nigeria’s dependence on imports, despite ongoing rehabilitation efforts across the three facilities.
Diesel, Aviation Fuel, and LPG Consumption
Beyond PMS, Nigerians consumed an average of 17.13 million litres of diesel daily in October, alongside 2.61 million litres per day of aviation fuel.
Consumption of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) stood at 6,095 metric tonnes per day, further highlighting Nigeria’s heavy reliance on refined petroleum products across transportation, aviation, and household energy.
The NMDPRA said the fact sheet was important as “the verified data underscored Nigeria’s strategic transformation in the energy sector, emphasising reduced imports, strengthened domestic production, job creation, safety improvements, and economic stability.”
The country achieved an overall refining capacity utilisation rate of 61.58 per cent, signalling improved operational efficiency compared to previous periods of low or near-zero output.
Despite persistent challenges—including technical constraints and limited crude oil supply to refineries—the NMDPRA said the refining utilisation rate is gradually improving, reflecting ongoing efforts by both government and private operators to reposition Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector.
