Nigeria’s petrol import volumes slumped to their lowest level in at least eight years in September, according to market intelligence provider Argus. Data cited by Argus from Kpler shows the country received 116,000 barrels per day (bpd) of seaborne petrol last month, down from 154,000 bpd in August.
The decline comes despite maintenance on Dangote Refinery’s petrol-producing residue fluid catalytic cracking (RFCC) unit, recent industrial action, and limited crude supplies. Net petrol imports fell to a new low of 38,000 bpd in September, even as Dangote’s cargo loadings bound for New York Harbour reached their second-highest level on record at 77,000 bpd.
Argus noted that Dangote’s RFCC unit was taken offline on 2 September, with full operations expected in early October. A two-day strike by the oil workers’ union PENGASSAN disrupted natural gas and crude supply towards the end of the month but was resolved at the start of October. Crude arrivals also fell to 375,000 bpd from 440,000 bpd in August.
Despite the disruption, no local gasoline shortages were reported. Petrol prices at Dangote’s refinery remained stable at around ₦820 per litre, supported by the resumption of the naira-for-crude programme, under which Dangote purchases domestic crude in naira and sells refined products locally. Domestic petrol demand stood at 252,000 bpd in September.
Argus highlighted a sharp year-on-year drop in Nigeria’s petrol imports. While the country was the fifth-largest global petrol importer in 2024, January–September 2025 data shows volumes fell more than 40% to 162,000 bpd, making Nigeria the eighth-largest importer. European suppliers, including the EU, UK, and Norway, delivered 78,000 bpd of petrol in September, the lowest level on Kpler’s records, though Nigeria remains the largest European gasoline buyer.
