Petrol Supply Rises to 74.2m Litres Daily as Dangote Refinery Increases Output
- Average daily petrol supply rose to 74.2 million litres in December 2025, due to an increase in the output of domestic refineries
- National petrol stock sufficiency increased to more than 29 days, as Dangote refinery output jumped to over 32 million litres of petrol per day
- The downstream regulator stated that state-owned refineries remained shut, leaving supply largely to private refining and importation
Oluwatobi Odeyinka is a business editor at Legit.ng, covering energy, the money market, technology and macroeconomic trends in Nigeria.
Fuel supply across Nigeria increased to 74.2m litres in December 2025, with petrol availability rising and national stock levels reaching more than 29 days.
According to the latest fact sheet released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), daily petrol supply increased to 74.2 million litres, up from 71.5 million litres recorded in November.
Source: Getty Images
The improved position was attributed largely to stronger output from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, alongside coordinated import arrangements.
The factsheet showed that petrol production from the Dangote refinery rose from 19.47 million litres per day in November to 32.01 million litres per day in December. This translated to a total petrol supply of about 960 million litres in December, compared with roughly 584 million litres supplied the previous month.
Petrol demand rises to 63.7m litres/day
While overall availability improved, the regulator stated that daily petrol demand during the festive season increased from 52.9 million litres in November to 63.7 million litres in December.
Also, national stock sufficiency expanded from 16.65 days to 29.20 days within the same period.
Dangote refinery reshaping fuel distribution
The NMDPRA explained that domestic supply figures include products delivered into coastal depots as well as volumes distributed directly from local refineries. It noted that the growing contribution from the Dangote refinery has continued to reshape fuel distribution patterns nationwide, especially during periods of peak demand.
Further data from the authority showed that the Dangote refinery operated at an average capacity utilisation of about 63% in December.
The facility supplied roughly 32 million litres of petrol daily to the domestic market, below its planned output of 50 million litres per day for the month. It also delivered an average of 5.78 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) per day.
Govt-owned refineries remain inactive
In contrast, government-owned refineries remained largely inactive throughout December. The Port Harcourt Refinery stayed shut, although small volumes of previously produced diesel were evacuated from storage. The Warri and Kaduna refineries also recorded no production during the period.
According to the regulator, the continued shutdown of state-owned refineries meant that domestic fuel supply in December relied heavily on output from the privately owned Dangote facility, highlighting Nigeria’s increasing dependence on local private refining to meet demand.
Source: Getty Images
Diesel supply declines
While petrol supply strengthened, diesel availability showed a different trend. Domestic supply of Automotive Gas Oil declined from 20.4 million litres per day in November to 17.9 million litres per day in December, even as daily consumption increased from 15.4 million litres to 16.4 million litres.
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) supply averaged 5.2 metric tonnes per day during the month. The NMDPRA said this aligns with ongoing efforts to expand LPG usage for cooking and industrial purposes as part of Nigeria’s energy transition agenda.
On refinery development, the authority disclosed that it issued one Licence to Establish and one Licence to Construct in December, maintaining the same pace recorded in the previous month.
NMDPRA added that Train 2 of the Waltersmith Refinery in Imo State has completed pre-commissioning, with hydrocarbon introduction expected by January 2026.
In the midstream segment, domestic gas supply recorded a slight increase, rising from 4.684 billion standard cubic feet per day in November to 4.787 billion cubic feet per day in December, reflecting modest improvements in gas production and delivery.
The regulator cautioned that the figures contained in the factsheet are subject to reconciliation with operators and may be adjusted as part of ongoing accounting processes.
It noted that sustained reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act continue to focus on boosting domestic refining, improving data accuracy, and strengthening fuel security.
Dangote Refinery begins direct sales to independent marketers
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery had started selling petrol directly to independent marketers who can buy at least 250,000 litres.
Previously, the refinery relied largely on about 20 depot operators to lift petrol from its gantry and distribute it across the country.
The shift followed a breakdown in pricing agreements, which led major marketers to increase fuel imports in November 2025.
Source: Legit.ng
