Nigeria’s daily petrol consumption fell by about 600,000 litres between June 2025 and June 2026, reflecting a continued decline in demand amid higher fuel prices.
Data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) showed that average daily consumption dropped by 1.27 per cent year-on-year, from 48 million litres per day in June 2025 to 47.4 million litres in June 2026.
The decline comes after petrol prices surged significantly following the deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector.
Petrol Demand Fluctuated Throughout the Year
NMDPRA data showed that average daily petrol consumption between June 2025 and June 2026 stood at about 50 million litres.
December 2025 recorded the highest daily consumption during the period, reaching approximately 63.7 million litres.
On the other hand, September 2025 recorded the lowest figure at about 43.8 million litres per day.
Consumption also fluctuated considerably during the first half of 2026.
Daily PMS consumption stood at:
- January: 60.2 million litres
- February: 56.9 million litres
- March: 47.3 million litres
- April: 51.1 million litres
- May: 46.3 million litres
- June: 47.4 million litres
The figures show that although demand has moved up and down from month to month, overall consumption remains significantly affected by changes in petrol prices and market conditions.
Local Refineries Supply Most of Nigeria’s Petrol
Meanwhile, NMDPRA supply data showed that domestic refineries supplied an estimated 6.609 billion litres of petrol during the first six months of 2026.
That represented 77.9 per cent of the 8.482 billion litres of PMS supplied to the Nigerian market during the period.
Imported petrol accounted for the remaining 1.873 billion litres, representing 22.1 per cent of total supply.
Domestic refinery supplies averaged:
- January: 40.1 million litres per day
- February: 29.4 million litres
- March: 34.2 million litres
- April: 40.7 million litres
- May: 41.5 million litres
- June: 32.5 million litres
Petrol imports, meanwhile, contributed:
- January: 24.8 million litres per day
- February: 3.0 million litres
- March: 5.9 million litres
- April: 3.7 million litres
- May: 5.9 million litres
- June: 18.1 million litres
Other Petroleum Products
The NMDPRA also reported average daily receipts of about 50.6 million litres of PMS, 16.2 million litres of diesel (AGO) and 2.5 million litres of aviation fuel (ATK).
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas, averaged 5.1 kilotonnes in daily receipts.
The latest figures highlight the changing dynamics of Nigeria’s downstream petroleum market, with domestic refinery production now accounting for the majority of petrol supplied to consumers while demand continues to fluctuate.
Source: NMDPRA
