Nigeria’s domestic fuel supply received a major boost in January 2026 as the Dangote Petroleum Refinery delivered an average of 40.1 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) per day.
This was according to data released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The figures reflect an increase of about 8 million litres per day compared to the 32 million litres recorded in December 2025, signaling a steady ramp-up in local refining capacity.
The growth in output comes as the refinery moves closer to its stated goal of covering a larger share of national fuel demand, while imports continue to complement domestic supply.
What the report is saying
The NMDPRA report shows that Nigeria’s domestic supply benchmark for PMS stands at 75 million litres per day, with the Dangote Refinery now contributing over 40 million litres daily.
- Average PMS consumption in January 2026 stood at 60.2 million litres per day.
- Imports from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and other marketers averaged 24.8 million litres daily.
- Overall, total PMS supply into the domestic market averaged 64.9 million litres per day.
The regulator noted that consumption figures are based on volumes trucked out into the domestic market, serving as the key metric for measuring effective fuel distribution.
The data underlines the refinery’s growing role in meeting national demand.
Get up to speed
Nairametrics reported that the refinery has reached its full designed capacity, marking what the company describes as a historic milestone and making it the first refinery globally to achieve full nameplate capacity in a single train of that scale.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery, located in the Lekki Free Zone, Lagos, is designed as a 650,000 barrels-per-day single-train facility, making it the largest of its kind in the world.
The refinery has been under phased ramp-up since its commissioning, with the goal of reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported PMS.
- In December 2025, the refinery projected it could supply up to 50 million litres of PMS daily between December 2025 and January 2026.
- Management has optimized its Crude Distillation Unit and Motor Spirit production block, stabilizing steady-state operations.
- A 72-hour performance test run is underway with technology licensor UOP to validate operational efficiency and confirm compliance with global standards.
The refinery’s capacity milestones are considered a key factor in strengthening Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector.
What you should know
Prominent investor Femi Otedola recently projected the naira could strengthen to below N1,000 per dollar before year-end, citing reduced import demand and the refinery’s operational milestone.
The refinery’s latest production figures indicate Nigeria is moving closer to achieving its domestic supply targets.
NMDPRA earlier reported that Nigeria’s daily petrol consumption surged to 63.7 million litres per day (ml/d) in December 2025.
