December 2025 marked a notable turning point in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, with fresh data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) showing a remarkable change in how the country sources its petrol supply.
According to the regulator’s December 2025 ‘State of the Midstream and Downstream Fact Sheet , the nation’s petrol availability, measured as Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) supply, averaged 74.2 million litres per day in December, slightly higher than the 71.5 million litres per day recorded in November.
At the heart of the shift was a significant drop in petrol importation, with daily import volumes falling to 42.2 million litres in December from 52.1 million litres in the previous month, a roughly 19 percent decline. In contrast, local petrol supply jumped to 32 million litres per day, up from about 19.5 million litres in November, a 64 percent increase in domestically sourced petrol.
Reflecting on the development, NMDPRA’s report noted that domestic supply are volumes received into coastal depots plus volumes trucked out from domestic refineries, a descriptor that underscores how locally refined petrol is now making a more visible contribution to national availability.
Industry data show that Dangote Petroleum Refinery was the primary driver of the surge in local output, supplying an average of 32 million litres per day during December, even though the refinery had initially planned for higher volumes. The increase at Dangote helped plug gaps left by non-operational state-owned refineries — Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna, which remained mostly shut during the period.
Petrol consumption also rose during the period. According to NMDPRA, Nigeria’s daily petrol consumption climbed to an average of 63.7 million litres, up from 52.9 million litres in November, marking the highest recorded consumption level in 2025. The surge reflected heightened demand from road transport and festive-season activity across the country, pushing usage well above the typical annual benchmarks.
While the decline in imports highlights a growing contribution from local refining, Nigeria still relied on imported petrol to meet part of its needs in December, underscoring that domestic refining has not yet fully replaced foreign supply sources.
Economic experts say reduced petrol importation can ease pressure on Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves by cutting the heavy import bills that have historically strained the country’s balance of payments. This shift could support the naira’s stability and improve trade figures, even as increased local refining activity promotes job creation and value addition within the economy.
The NMDPRA data also revealed broader trends in the energy mix, with domestic production of other fuels, including diesel and liquefied petroleum gas, showing resilience amid market fluctuations, although diesel supply dipped slightly compared to November figures.
As Nigeria continues to navigate its energy transition, the interplay between imported and locally refined products will remain central to policy debates on fuel security, foreign exchange management, and downstream petroleum regulation. The December 2025 figures thus offer a snapshot of progress, and ongoing challenges, in Nigeria’s quest to strengthen its domestic refining sector and reduce dependence on imported petrol.
Key figures from December 2025
Petrol supply averaged 74.2 million litres per day.
Importation dropped to 42.2 million litres per day, down from 52.1 million.
Local supply rose to 32 million litres per day, up 64% month-on-month.
Daily petrol consumption reached 63.7 million litres.
The figures highlight both the promise and the complexity of Nigeria’s downstream petroleum landscape as the country balances growing domestic refining capacity with the realities of consumer demand and global fuel market dynamics.
