The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and international oil companies (IOCs) have significantly increased crude oil supply to local refineries by more than 103 per cent between January and April 2026, according to industry data.
Figures from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) show that crude allocated to domestic refineries rose sharply from 8.83 million barrels in January to 17.96 million barrels in April, marking a 103.4 per cent increase within the period.
At the same time, imported crude feedstock dropped drastically from 9.43 million barrels in March to 0.41 million barrels in April, reflecting a steep decline of about 95.6 per cent as local sourcing gained momentum.
The shift highlights a major transformation in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, with the Dangote Refinery increasingly relying on locally supplied crude for petroleum production, especially petrol (Premium Motor Spirit).
Overall refinery feedstock levels fluctuated during the period, standing at 20.92 million barrels in March before easing to 18.37 million barrels in April, though the composition of supply moved decisively toward domestic crude.
The data also revealed a rise in local petrol production, driven largely by output from the Dangote Refinery, which remains the only facility currently producing petrol in Nigeria.
Domestic petrol supply increased from 34.2 million litres per day in March to 40.7 million litres per day in April, representing a 19 per cent growth. Meanwhile, imported petrol volumes fell from 5.9 million litres daily in January to 3.7 million litres in April, a 37.3 per cent decline.
Capacity utilisation at the Dangote Refinery reached 99.12 per cent in April, with near full operation on most days of the month, according to the report.
The increase in crude allocation was linked to improved coordination between upstream producers, regulators, and refiners, addressing long-standing concerns about insufficient crude supply for domestic refining.
Despite stronger local refining output, global oil market pressures pushed fuel prices higher. Brent crude averaged $120.55 per barrel in April, contributing to increased domestic pump prices across the country.
Retail petrol prices during the period ranged from N1,271.50 per litre in Lagos to as high as N1,413 per litre in Maiduguri, depending on location.
Fuel demand remained stable, with average daily truck-out at 51.1 million litres, slightly above the national consumption benchmark of 50 million litres per day. Total production averaged 53.6 million litres daily.
Nigeria also maintained stable fuel reserves, with stock sufficiency levels recorded at 18 days for petrol, 39 days for diesel, and 70 days for aviation fuel.
In the modular refining segment, WalterSmith Refinery, Edo Refinery, and Aradel Holdings collectively produced an average of 0.559 million litres of diesel daily, operating at varying capacity levels.
In the gas sector, total supply stood at 5.142 billion standard cubic feet per day, with 2.012 Bscf/d allocated to the domestic market. Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) supply averaged 4,545 metric tonnes daily, while consumption stood slightly higher at 4,818 metric tonnes, with retail prices ranging between N1,100 and N1,450 per kilogramme.
