Nigeria continued to rely heavily on imported fuel in 2025, spending close to N9 trillion on petrol purchases from abroad despite increased investment in domestic refining.
Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics shows that Premium Motor Spirit remained one of the country’s most imported commodities throughout the year, highlighting persistent supply gaps in the downstream sector.
Although the import bill declined significantly compared to 2024, when it hit a record level, it still exceeded figures recorded in 2023. The trend reflects ongoing challenges in meeting local demand, even as new refining capacity comes on stream.
Consumption data indicates that Nigeria used nearly 19 billion litres of petrol in 2025, with more than 60 per cent sourced from imports. Local refineries, including the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, supplied the remaining share, showing some progress but not enough to eliminate dependence on foreign supply.
Import spending fluctuated across the year, rising in the first half before dropping in the third quarter. However, a sharp increase in the final quarter pushed total annual expenditure higher, accounting for a large portion of the overall import bill.
The country sourced petrol from a wide range of suppliers, including European and South American markets, as well as regional trade partners. This diverse supply chain underscores Nigeria’s continued exposure to global fuel market dynamics.
Despite the operational rollout of domestic refineries and ongoing rehabilitation of state-owned facilities, structural challenges persist. Analysts point to issues such as crude supply constraints, logistics bottlenecks, and market inefficiencies as key factors limiting local refining output.
Energy experts warn that sustained reliance on imports could put pressure on foreign exchange reserves and weaken energy security.
They argue that addressing supply chain inefficiencies and ensuring consistent crude availability for local refineries will be critical to reducing import dependence.
