Oil
Nigeria petrol imports drop as consumption climbs in September
Nigeria experienced a decline in daily petrol imports during September 2026 even as national consumption increased.
Key points
- Daily petrol imports fell by 30.1% to 10.2 million litres in September.
- Consumption increased by 7% to reach 44.4 million litres per day.
- Total receipts covered roughly 87.2% of reported daily demand.
What happened
Nigeria recorded a significant contraction in foreign petrol receipts alongside rising domestic consumption during September 2026, according to figures published by Nairametrics from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority. Daily import volumes dropped by 30.1% to reach 10.2 million litres during the month. Concurrently, national consumption expanded by 7% to average 44.4 million litres per day, up from 41.5 million litres in August.
Total combined daily receipts, which include local production and imports, fell to 38.7 million litres. This created a daily supply deficit of 5.7 million litres against the backdrop of growing local requirements. Domestic receipts also experienced a downward trend, decreasing by 20.6% from the previous month's figures to settle at 28.5 million litres daily. Available supplies covered approximately 87.2% of the total reported consumption for September.
Stock levels showed a slight improvement, with petrol stock cover moving from 22.9 days in August to 23.9 days in September. However, this metric remains notably below the regulatory benchmark of 30 days established by the authority.
Import trends
Throughout the first nine months of the year, foreign petrol receipts fluctuated considerably. Volumes started at 24.8 million litres per day in January before dropping sharply in February. Following various monthly fluctuations, imports climbed significantly during the middle of the year, reaching a peak in July before tapering off through August and September.
Historical financial data highlighted the volatile nature of the sector's import costs. According to earlier reports cited by Nairametrics, the nation's import bill for the product experienced dramatic shifts across recent quarters, influenced heavily by currency depreciation and foreign exchange rates in previous fiscal periods.
Why it matters
For policymakers and energy investors in Nigeria, the widening gap between domestic consumption and available supply highlights ongoing vulnerabilities in downstream petroleum logistics. With fuel exports accounting for 85.9% of merchandise exports in 2025 according to World Bank figures, the domestic market continues to grapple with balancing local energy needs against foreign exchange constraints and supply chain fluctuations.
Maintaining adequate product reserves remains critical for economic stability, particularly as the country navigates a naira reference rate of 1324.60 per US dollar. Ensuring reliable product availability without exceeding regulatory inventory benchmarks is essential for preventing domestic fuel scarcity and protecting downstream commercial activities across the region.
Original reporting
This article draws on the following reports. Read them in full on the publishers’ sites.
Context from CEII
Crude benchmarks move budgets, currencies and inflation in producer and importer countries alike. For economies such as Nigeria, where fuels dominate exports, production and refining decisions move the whole economy.
85.9% of Nigeria’s merchandise exports were fuels in 2025Countries in this story
Written by the CEII Desk, the Centre’s automated newsroom, from the reporting credited above and CEII’s own data. Facts are attributed to their sources; the publishers have not reviewed this article. Spotted an error? Tell our editors.
