The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) says the Dangote Petroleum Refinery fully met Nigeria’s domestic petrol supply component in February 2026, marking a major shift in the country’s fuel supply structure.
Data from the February 2026 downstream industry factsheet shows that domestic petrol supply reached about 39.5 million litres per day, representing 100 per cent of the domestic refining contribution to the market for the month.
The development signals a sharp departure from Nigeria’s historical supply pattern, when local refineries accounted for less than 20 per cent of petrol supply, forcing the country to rely heavily on imported fuel to bridge the gap.
According to the regulatory data, Nigeria’s average daily petrol consumption stood at about 56.9 million litres in February, based on truck-out volumes into the domestic market.
The report further shows that overall petrol supply during the period averaged about 64.9 million litres per day, providing sufficient volumes to meet demand and support national stock levels.
Industry analysts say the shift reflects the growing influence of the Dangote refinery in the domestic fuel market, as its large-scale refining capacity increasingly displaces imports and helps stabilise supply.
NMDPRA data also indicates that petrol imports dropped significantly during the month, declining by about 25.4 million litres per day due to reduced import volumes, a development widely attributed to rising domestic refining output.
The increased domestic supply has also strengthened Nigeria’s fuel security position. The report shows that the country maintained about 31 days of petrol sufficiency stock in February, including inventory held at the Dangote refinery.
The inclusion of Dangote’s inventory in national supply calculations highlights the refinery’s growing role as a strategic buffer for Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, particularly at a time when global fuel markets remain volatile.
Energy analysts note that the emergence of large-scale domestic refining is gradually reshaping Nigeria’s fuel supply chain, reducing dependence on imports and improving the country’s ability to maintain stable petrol availability.
For decades, Nigeria relied almost entirely on imported petrol due to the underperformance of state-owned refineries. However, the ramp-up in output from the Dangote refinery is now changing that structure, with domestic refining increasingly meeting a larger share of national demand.
Officials say the trend could deepen in the coming months as refining operations stabilise and logistics across the downstream distribution network continue to improve.