Petrol Consumption Drops To 56.9m Litres Daily As Dangote Supply Declines
•By Admin
ABUJA — NIGERIA’s average daily consumption of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, fell to 56.9 million litres in February 2026, down from the 60.2 million litres recorded in January, according to new industry data released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The figures reflect changing supply patterns in the country’s downstream petroleum sector as domestic refining capacity gradually expands.
The data showed that petrol supply from the Dangote Refinery also declined during the same period, dropping to 36.5 million litres per day in February from 40.1 million litres per day in January.
Overall domestic petrol supply experienced an even steeper fall, decreasing to 39.6 million litres per day in February compared to 64.9 million litres per day in the preceding month.
The development suggests continued adjustments within Nigeria’s fuel distribution chain as the market responds to evolving production and supply realities.
Despite the growing presence of private refining capacity, Nigeria’s state-owned refineries contributed virtually nothing to petrol production during the period under review.
Data from the NMDPRA indicated that the country’s three major government-owned refineries remained inactive as rehabilitation work continued.
The Port Harcourt Refining Company remained shut throughout the month, although previously refined diesel continued to be evacuated at an average of about 0.392 million litres per day.
Similarly, the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company recorded no petrol output, but released existing diesel stocks into the market at roughly 0.027 million litres daily. The Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company also recorded zero petrol production.
The continued inactivity of the government refineries highlights Nigeria’s reliance on private sector refining capacity and fuel imports to meet domestic demand.
Meanwhile, the report revealed a different trend in the diesel market, where domestic supply recorded a noticeable increase.
Average daily supply of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly known as diesel, rose to 24.4 million litres in February, up from 18.9 million litres in January.
The increase was largely supported by production from modular refineries and the evacuation of previously refined diesel from some state-owned facilities.
Among the modular refineries operating during the period, the WalterSmith Refinery ran at about 59.66 percent capacity utilisation, supplying approximately 0.112 million litres of diesel per day.
The Edo Refinery and Petrochemicals Company recorded one of the highest utilisation rates at 81.66 percent, delivering around 0.085 million litres daily, while the Aradel Refinery operated at 34.47 percent capacity, supplying roughly 0.171 million litres per day.
However, two modular facilities — the OPAC Refinery and Duport Refinery — remained shut during the month.
Independent reports that the latest figures illustrate a transitional phase in Nigeria’s downstream sector as the country gradually shifts toward increased local refining, while still grappling with supply fluctuations and ongoing refinery rehabilitation projects.
•INDEPENDENTNG.