DANGOTE SUPPLIED 79% OF NIGERIA'S PETROL IN APRIL, EXPORTED 1.66BN LITRES AS REFINERIES HIT 99% CAPACITY

NMDPRA data: Imports fell 37%; state refineries produced nothing; petrol at ₦1,271 in Lagos

Nigeria's domestic refining sector operated at near-full capacity in April 2026, with the Dangote Petroleum Refinery supplying 79% of the country's petrol consumption while three government-owned refineries sat completely idle throughout the month, new data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority showed Wednesday.

The NMDPRA's April 2026 fact sheet showed that supply from the Dangote Refinery increased 19% to 40.7 million litres per day in April from 34.2 million litres in March. Combined petrol supply from Dangote and imports rose 10.7% to 44.4 million litres daily. Petrol imports dropped sharply by 37.3% to 3.7 million litres per day, down from 5.9 million litres in March.

Nigeria consumed an average of 51.1 million litres of petrol daily in April, slightly above the regulator's 50 million litre benchmark. Despite the refining surge, Dangote also exported 1.66 billion litres of refined petroleum products during the month, comprising 513 million litres of petrol, 534 million litres of diesel, and 615 million litres of aviation fuel, as global buyers sought alternatives to Gulf supply disrupted by the US-Iran conflict.

Refining utilisation averaged 99.1% in April, with Dangote operating at 100% capacity for most of the month. Domestic refineries received 18.37 million barrels of crude oil in April, up from 13.11 million barrels in March. International crude averaged $120.55 per barrel during the month.

The Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries, all government-owned, produced zero output in April. Average retail petrol prices stood at ₦1,271.50 per litre in Lagos, ₦1,326 in Abuja, and ₦1,371.50 in Maiduguri. National petrol sufficiency stood at 18 days, while diesel stood at 39 days and aviation fuel at 70 days.