Agency News
Barbara Bako, Abuja.
Nigeria’s domestic refineries produced nearly enough petrol to meet national demand in May 2026, underscoring the country’s growing refining capacity and reducing dependence on imports.
Data released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) showed that local refineries produced an average of 44.7 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) per day during the month, compared with average daily consumption of 46.3 million litres.
The figures indicate that domestic production was sufficient to cover about 97 per cent of the country’s petrol consumption requirements during the period.
The report also showed that refineries supplied 41.5 million litres of petrol daily to the domestic market, while maintaining stocks of 9.4 million litres.
The improved output was driven by stronger refinery operations, with average capacity utilisation rising to 101.25 per cent in May.
NMDPRA data further showed that average daily petrol supply stood at 47.4 million litres, close to the country’s estimated demand benchmark of 50 million litres per day.
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Beyond petrol, local refineries produced 24.5 million litres of diesel and 21.9 million litres of aviation fuel daily. While most diesel output was consumed locally, significant volumes of aviation fuel were exported.
The authority said Nigeria maintained fuel reserves equivalent to 16 days of petrol consumption, 31 days of diesel demand and 94 days of aviation fuel usage, suggesting adequate product availability across the country.
In the gas segment, total supply averaged 4.984 billion standard cubic feet per day, with more than 2.1 billion standard cubic feet delivered to the domestic market.
The report also showed continued growth in cooking gas consumption, which averaged 4,500 metric tonnes per day in May, exceeding average daily supply of 4,100 metric tonnes.
