The latest Petroleum Statistics report by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has shown an increase of roughly 60 per cent in petrol imports in the month of May.
The report indicated that Nigeria’s Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) supply rose by about 7 per cent month-on-month, from 44.4 million litres per day in April to 47.4 million litres per day in May, with domestic refineries contributing 41.5 million litres of that total, accounting for 88 per cent of national supply.
It also revealed a surge in diesel and jet fuel output from local refineries in May.
According to the NMDPRA Petroleum Statistics report, average daily imports of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, rose from 3.7 million litres per day in April to 5.9 million litres per day in May, representing a 60 per cent increase.
A five-month compilation of the data shows how far import bills have fallen since January. Petrol imports remain roughly 76 per cent lower than January levels, despite the spike recorded in May.
The report further showed that crude oil deliveries into domestic refineries fell by 5.6 per cent month-on-month, from 612,000 barrels per day in April to 578,000 barrels per day in May.
Meanwhile, supply of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) soared by 84.3 per cent, from 10.2 million litres per day in April to 18.8 million litres per day in May, with the entire volume reportedly coming from domestic refineries.
Diesel imports, which stood at 1.7 million litres per day in April, fell to zero in May, marking a notable milestone for a product that has historically relied heavily on imports.
Jet fuel supply also expanded, with Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK) output rising by 38.5 per cent, from 2.6 million litres per day to 3.6 million litres per day, boosting supply for Nigerian airlines.
During the month under review, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) supply dipped by 8.9 per cent, from 4.5 kilotonnes per day in April to 4.1 kilotonnes per day in May. The decline has contributed to scarcity and a sharp increase in the price of the commodity nationwide.
According to the report, daily petrol consumption fell by 9.4 per cent to 46.3 million litres per day, while diesel consumption slipped to 16 million litres per day from 17.3 million litres.
Petrol sufficiency dropped from 17.7 days to 16 days, while diesel sufficiency fell more sharply from 39 days to 31 days, indicating tighter inventory management across the supply chain.
According to the NMDPRA, the verified data underscores Nigeria’s ongoing transformation in the energy sector.
