Dangote Refinery runs above capacity as petrol imports fall 26% in August 2026

Nigeria’s petrol imports fell 26 per cent in August as the Dangote Refinery operated at 105.21 per cent capacity utilisation, according to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

The regulator’s August 2026 factsheet made available to journalists Thursday, shows domestic refineries received 0.683 million barrels of crude per day, up 17 per cent from 0.585 million barrels in July.

Total petrol receipts rose 11 per cent to 50.5 million litres per day from 45.5 million litres. Domestic supply jumped 39 per cent to 35.9 million litres daily, while imports fell to 14.6 million litres from 19.7 million litres.

Dangote produced 41.94 million litres of petrol daily, supplying 35.87 million litres to the domestic market and exporting 9.73 million litres. It also produced 18.01 million litres of diesel and 24.48 million litres of aviation fuel daily, exporting 8.75 million litres and 21.30 million litres respectively.

Diesel receipts fell 39 per cent to 14.5 million litres per day from 23.6 million litres, as imports dropped 84 per cent to 1.3 million litres. Domestic diesel receipts eased 16 per cent to 13.2 million litres. Diesel stock sufficiency improved to 51.6 days from 46.5 days.

Petrol consumption, measured by volumes trucked out, fell 14 per cent to 41.5 million litres per day from 48.3 million litres. Petrol stock sufficiency edged up to 22.9 days from 22.4 days.

Aviation fuel receipts rose 63 per cent to 3.1 million litres per day, while consumption grew 22 per cent to 2.8 million litres. LPG receipts fell 19 per cent to 4.3 kilotonnes per day, with domestic supply down 32 per cent and imports up 44 per cent.

The NNPC Limited refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna were not producing. Among modular refineries, Edo ran at 90.43 per cent utilisation, Walter Smith at 64.77 per cent, Aradel at 58.77 per cent and OPAC at 16.97 per cent. Duport was shut down.

Domestic gas supply, including volumes to NLNG, rose 4 per cent to 4.930 billion cubic feet per day from 4.723 billion. Gas-to-power took 0.537 billion cubic feet daily.

On pipeline projects, the OB3 gas pipeline is 96 per cent complete, the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano line 80 per cent and the Escravos–Obidi line 27.5 per cent. The NMDPRA said the AKK figure now covers the backbone pipeline and ancillary facilities.