The Federal Government has revealed that Nigeria now consumes about 50 million litres of petrol daily, with local refineries supplying only half of that amount. The remaining 25 million litres are imported to meet the country’s fuel demand.
This was disclosed on Wednesday by Mr. Ogbugo Ukoha, Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Storage, and Retailing Infrastructure at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). He spoke to journalists in Abuja after a stakeholders’ meeting.
Ukoha explained that while local refineries contribute significantly to petrol supply, imports remain necessary to prevent fuel scarcity. He noted that before the removal of fuel subsidies in May 2023, Nigeria’s daily fuel supply was much higher.
“From 2021 to 2023, we saw an increase in petrol supply, sometimes exceeding 66 million litres per day,” Ukoha said. “However, after Mr. President withdrew the subsidy on May 29, 2023, we immediately saw a steep decline in consumption. Since then, daily petrol consumption has stabilized around 50 million litres.”
He further clarified that none of the domestic refining companies are involved in importing fuel. “Of these 50 million litres per day, less than 50% comes from domestic refineries. The shortfall, as required by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), is covered by imports,” he said.
In a major policy shift, the NMDPRA has announced that from March 1, 2025, trucks with a capacity of 60,000 litres or more will no longer be allowed to transport petrol and other petroleum products in Nigeria.
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The decision comes despite protests from truck owners, particularly the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO). The group recently warned that the policy would affect over 2,000 large tankers and result in losses exceeding N300 billion.
Ukoha defended the decision, stating that oversized petrol tankers have contributed to tanker fire incidents and worsening road conditions.
“The meeting today, which included representatives from the Department of State Services (DSS), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Federal Fire Service, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and other key stakeholders, agreed that from March 1, 2025, no truck carrying more than 60,000 litres of fuel will be allowed to load at any depot,” he said.
He also announced an additional restriction: “By the fourth quarter of 2025, trucks carrying over 45,000 litres will also be banned from transporting petroleum products.”
With Nigeria still dependent on fuel imports, the ban on large-capacity tankers may impact petrol distribution across the country. However, the government insists that the decision is necessary to improve safety and reduce the strain on Nigerian roads.