Oil & Energy
Fuel Imports Surged By 207% In June — NMDPRA report
Nigeria’s petrol importation surged by 207 per cent in June 2026, even as domestic Premium Motor Spirit supply fell by 22 per cent, according to the latest data released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
The development marked a sharp reversal from the pattern recorded at the beginning of the year when domestic refining was supplying the bulk of the country’s petrol requirements.
The NMDPRA’s June 2026 Fact Sheet, obtained by our correspondent on Saturday, showed that average daily PMS imports rose from 5.9 million litres in May to 18.1 million litres in June.
The 12.2 million-litre daily increase represented a 206.8 per cent month-on-month rise.
In contrast, domestic PMS receipts fell from 41.5 million litres per day in May to 32.5 million litres per day in June, representing a decline of 9 million litres or 21.7 per cent.
Despite the sharp drop in domestic supply, total PMS receipts rose from 47.4 million litres per day in May to 50.6 million litres per day in June. This represented an increase of 3.2 million litres per day or 6.8 per cent.
The report read, “Total PMS receipts rose by seven per cent from 47.4 million litres per day in May to 50.6 million litres in June, driven by a 207 per cent surge in imports to 18.1 million litres, even as domestic supply fell by 22 per cent to 32.5 million litres per day.
“Domestic daily receipts include DPRP gantry and all coastal evacuation receipts. Consumption data is based on volumes trucked out from all facilities into the domestic market.”
The figures suggest that the increase in imports more than compensated for the decline in domestic supply during the month.
The development is significant because Nigeria entered 2026 with a much stronger domestic supply position. In January, domestic PMS supply was reported at 40.1 million litres per day, accounting for about 61.8 per cent of the country’s petrol supply, while imports averaged 24.8 million litres per day.
However, imports fell sharply to 3.0 million litres per day in February before rising to 5.9 million litres per day in March. The country’s dependence on imports then remained relatively low through the following months before the sharp increase recorded in June.
Compared with January, June’s domestic PMS receipts of 32.5 million litres per day were 7.6 million litres, or 19 per cent, lower than the 40.1 million litres recorded at the beginning of the year.
Conversely, June’s import volume of 18.1 million litres per day was 6.7 million litres, or 27 per cent, below January’s 24.8 million litres per day.
However, the composition of supply changed considerably. While domestic supply accounted for the larger share of the market in January, the June figures showed a much greater reliance on imports to supplement local production.
The June data also showed that the country’s crude oil receipts by domestic refineries improved during the month.
Crude oil receipt by domestic refineries rose from 0.578 million barrels per day in 0.632 million barrelsMay to per day in June, an increase of 0.054 million barrels per day, or 9.3 per cent.
The NMDPRA rounded the increase to 10 per cent in its fact sheet.
The rise in crude receipts occurred at a time when domestic PMS supply decreased, indicating that higher crude deliveries alone did not immediately translate into higher petrol receipts in the domestic market.
The figures could also reflect changes in refinery operations, product yields, maintenance activities, evacuation arrangements and the balance between domestic production and imported products.
The June fact sheet further showed that average daily PMS consumption increased marginally from 46.3 million litres in May to 47.4 million litres in June.
The 1.1 million-litre increase represented a 2.4 per cent rise.
The increase in consumption, however, was far smaller than the 207 per cent jump in petrol imports.
As a result, the country’s petrol stock position improved during the month. PMS stock sufficiency rose from 16.2 days in May to 19.7 days in June.
This represented an increase of 3.5 days, or 21.6 per cent.
The improvement means that the country entered July with almost 20 days of petrol stock sufficiency, despite the increased reliance on imports.
The increase in petrol stocks is significant against the background of the supply disruptions and price volatility that have characterised the downstream petroleum market since the removal of petrol subsidy.
At the beginning of 2026, the NMDPRA reported that PMS stock sufficiency had risen to 33 days in January, compared with 29.2 days in December 2025. However, the stock position subsequently declined before recovering to 19.7 days in June.
The June data also showed a dramatic increase in imported Liquefied Petroleum Gas, popularly known as cooking gas.
Total LPG receipts rose from 4.1 kilotonnes per day in May to 5.1KT per day in June, representing a 24.4 per cent increase.
Domestic LPG receipts, however, fell from 4.0KT per day to 3.6KT per day, a decline of 0.4KT per day or 10 per cent.
Imports rose from 0.1KT per day in May to 1.5KT per day in June.
That represented an increase of 1.4KT per day, or 1,400 per cent.
The sharp increase in LPG imports helped push total receipts higher, even as domestic supply declined.
The figures indicate that LPG supply exceeded consumption during the month, potentially supporting inventory replenishment.
The supply of Automotive Gas Oil, commonly known as diesel, declined by 14 per cent in June.
AGO receipts fell from 18.8 million litres per day in May to 16.2 million litres per day in June, a decline of 2.6 million litres or 13.8 per cent.
The decline was entirely recorded in domestic receipts as the country recorded no AGO imports in either May or June.
The NMDPRA data showed that diesel consumption remained unchanged at 16 million litres per day in both months.
Consequently, June’s total AGO receipts of 16.2 million litres per day were only marginally above consumption.
Despite the lower supply, AGO stock sufficiency improved from 31 days in May to 37.1 days in June.
That represented an increase of 6.1 days or 19.7 per cent.
The rise in stock sufficiency, despite lower daily receipts, suggests that existing inventories continued to provide a substantial buffer for the diesel market.
The supply of Aviation Turbine Kerosene also fell during the month.
ATK receipts declined from 3.6 million litres per day in May to 2.5 million litres per day in June.
The 1.1 million-litre decline represented a fall of 30.6 per cent.
ATK consumption also fell from 3.1 million litres per day to 2.9 million litres per day, representing a 6.5 per cent decline.
The drop in consumption was, however, significantly smaller than the decline in receipts.
Domestic gas supply rose marginally during the period under review.
The NMDPRA reported that domestic gas supply increased from 4.984 billion standard cubic feet per day in May to 5.116Bscf/d in June.
The increase of 0.132Bscf/d represented a 2.65 per cent rise.
The authority said its domestic gas supply figure includes volumes supplied to the Nigeria LNG Limited.
The modest improvement came as the Federal Government and industry stakeholders continued to focus on increasing gas availability for power generation, industrial production and other domestic uses.
The January-to-June 2026 trend points to a petroleum market that has remained heavily influenced by the changing balance between domestic refining and imports.
Nigeria began the year with domestic PMS supply accounting for the majority of total supply. January’s 40.1 million litres per day from domestic sources compared with 24.8 million litres per day from imports.
By June, however, domestic supply had fallen to 32.5 million litres per day, while imports stood at 18.1 million litres per day.
Although the absolute volume of imports in June remained lower than January’s figure, the sharp increase from the May level showed how quickly the market could turn to imported products when domestic supply weakened.
The trend also highlights the continuing importance of domestic refining capacity to Nigeria’s fuel security.
In May, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery supplied an average of 41.5 million litres of petrol daily, according to reports based on the NMDPRA’s monthly data. The figure was significantly higher than the 40.1 million litres per day recorded in January. However, June’s domestic PMS receipt fell to 32.5 million litres per day.
The development comes amid the gradual transformation of Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, with the Dangote refinery increasingly supplying the domestic market while imports continue to act as a balancing source.
The figures also demonstrate that increased refinery crude supply does not automatically guarantee a corresponding increase in domestic petrol receipts. In June, crude receipts rose by about 9.3 per cent, while domestic PMS receipts fell by 21.7 per cent.
For consumers, the most immediate implication is that the country’s petrol supply system remains dependent on a combination of local refining and imports.
The June data therefore presents a mixed picture: domestic refining received more crude, total petrol supply increased and stock levels improved, but local PMS receipts fell sharply while imports surged.
In the wider downstream sector, diesel supply remained entirely domestic, LPG imports increased dramatically to supplement weaker local receipts, aviation fuel supply declined and gas availability recorded modest growth.
The data underscores the continuing transition of Nigeria’s petroleum market from an import-dependent system to a mixed supply structure in which domestic refineries are expected to provide the bulk of demand while imports fill supply gaps.
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The Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC) has commenced a major electricity project aimed at ending a 15-year blackout in Rigasa community, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The General Manager, Corporate Communication and External Relations, NDPHC, Nazo Agim, made this known in a statement, in Abuja, at the weekend.
Agim said that the project, facilitated by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ideological Group (BAT-IG), comprises a two-kilometre 11kV line, a 1.5-kilometre 33kV line and a 7.5MVA, 33/11kV injection substation.Access Services
According to him, the project is designed to strengthen electricity distribution and improve power supply to residents and businesses in the community.
He said that the Rigasa project underscored NDPHC’s commitment to extending critical electricity infrastructure beyond generation to bridge distribution gaps.
He also said that the project would stimulate socioeconomic development and improve the quality of life in underserved communities across Nigeria.
Agim disclosed that a groundbreaking ceremony was performed earlier on Friday, by the Kaduna state Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, who represented Governor Uba Sani.
According to him, Balarabe, while speaking during the ceremony commended NDPHC for the intervention, describing it as a life-saving initiative that would address the community’s longstanding electricity challenges.
The NDPHC Managing Director, Jennifer Adighije, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to addressing the community’s electricity challenges.
Represented by the Executive Director, Networks, Babayo Bello, Adighije also reiterated NDPHC’s commitment to supporting President Bola Tinubu’s vision of improving electricity supply across the country.
She said that although NDPHC’s primary mandate was power generation, the company’s interventions also extended to transmission and distribution infrastructure to address critical gaps and expand electricity access.
According to her, the Rigasa project represents a worthwhile investment that will ease residents’ hardship and demonstrate the impact of targeted infrastructure development in underserved communities.Access Services
NDPHC Executive Director, Strategy and Commercial, Patrick Obahiagbon, commended the Kaduna state government and the community for their cooperation and support for the project.
The District Head of Rigasa, Mohammed Idris, also commended NDPHC’s management for its commitment to expanding electricity access in the community.
As the federal government intensifies efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s power infrastructure, it has commissioned 640 megawatts (MW) of electricity transmission capacity to the national grid with an additional six transmission substations in Kano and Katsina states, respectively.
The projects comprise four substations at Walalambe, Kumbotso, Dakata and Dan-Agundi in Kano State, which collectively add 544MW of transmission capacity, and two 60 megavolt amperes (MVA) substations in Kankia Local Government Area of Katsina State, contributing another 96MW.
The additional capacity is expected to improve the transmission network’s ability to evacuate and deliver available electricity to distribution companies and consumers in the two states.
The Ministry of Power announced the developments in a statement issued at the weekend.
According to the statement, the additional capacity is expected to improve the transmission network’s ability to evacuate and deliver available electricity to distribution companies and consumers in the two states.
The projects, however, increase transmission capacity rather than electricity generation, implying that their impact on supply would depend partly on the availability of power from generating plants and the capacity of downstream distribution networks.
Speaking at the commissioning of the Kankia substation, the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, said the projects reflected President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to improving the country’s electricity infrastructure.
“Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda recognizes that economic ambition requires dependable infrastructure,” Tegbe said.
He added that investments in electricity infrastructure would strengthen the foundations for business expansion, employment and economic growth.
The Kankia substations comprise two 60 MVA, 132/33 kilovolt (kV) facilities designed to strengthen the transmission network serving Katsina State and neighbouring areas.
Tegbe said the infrastructure would improve the network’s ability to distribute available electricity, supporting commercial activities and household welfare.
He also urged residents to protect the facilities against vandalism and other activities that could disrupt electricity infrastructure, asking them to report suspicious activities to TCN or security agencies.
Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, described the project as a significant investment in the state’s electricity infrastructure.
Radda stated that improved electricity supply could support industrial development, economic growth and public service delivery.
He further commended the President, the Federal Ministry of Power and TCN for completing the project.
It would be noted that the latest projects come amid a broader government’s drive to address bottlenecks in Nigeria’s electricity transmission network, which has constrained the amount of electricity that can be delivered to distribution companies and end users.
The National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) has unveiled an investment and development-finance pipeline exceeding $600 million, alongside a proposed solar energy programme targeting one million micro and small businesses across Nigeria.
The Director-General, NBTI, Dr Kazeem Raji, disclosed this while presenting the outcomes of the 2026 NextGen Innovation Challenge at a World Press Conference, Abuja.
Raji said the investment pipeline comprised a proposed $500m solar energy programme for universities and polytechnics, which would be developed in partnership with Gigawatt Global, and a $100m financing opportunity linked to the Tinubu Light Initiative under a memorandum of understanding with Financial Innovation for Impact, UK, also known as Cambridge Investors.
He, however, clarified that the funds had not been fully secured or disbursed, stressing that their realisation would depend on due diligence, financing arrangements, contractual commitments, regulatory approvals and implementation requirements.
“These figures represent proposed investment and financing opportunities and should not be interpreted as $600m already received, disbursed or fully deployed in Nigeria,” he said.
According to Raji, the initiative was designed to connect Nigerian innovators with international investors, business leaders and development partners to accelerate the commercialisation of indigenous technologies.
He said the challenge attracted 298 Nigerian innovators from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, up from 105 participants in 2025.
The innovations showcased covered artificial intelligence, robotics, agriculture, healthcare, education, renewable energy, telecommunications, digital technology, enterprise software, 3D printing and advanced manufacturing.
“Our message is straightforward: Nigeria’s innovators deserve visibility, our enterprises deserve opportunities to grow, and our technologies deserve pathways to the marketplace,” Raji said.
He added that NBTI’s priority was to move beyond showcasing ideas to helping innovators develop commercially viable products, establish sustainable businesses and create jobs.
The proposed Tinubu Light Initiative is expected to support one million micro and small businesses through access to solar energy solutions, with a proposed target of training and deploying 10,000 field marketers and creating 50,000 direct youth employment opportunities.
The initiative also targets N30bn in blended financing for its first phase and estimates annual economic benefits of about N12bn, subject to its underlying assumptions and implementation outcomes.
Raji said the programme was conceived to address the energy challenges facing small businesses, including high operating costs associated with unreliable electricity and dependence on petrol and diesel generators.
Tailors, barbers, hairdressers, pharmacies, food vendors, neighbourhood retailers, printing businesses and digital-service providers, he stated, are among the potential beneficiaries.
He said the initiative also envisaged opportunities to promote business formalisation and financial inclusion, particularly among informal enterprises, where appropriate arrangements could be established.
However, the NBTI director-general acknowledged that the programme’s success would depend on sound financing, transparent beneficiary selection, reliable equipment, maintenance arrangements and measurable delivery.
“Our vision is to make clean-energy access an enabler of enterprise development, not merely an infrastructure intervention,” he said.
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