Data from the latest factsheet released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has revealed that domestic refining has gained more ground in Nigeria’s fuel supply.
According to the latest data, the national daily supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) plummeted by 25.4 million litres per day (ML/D) compared to the previous month, a decline primarily attributed to a substantial drop in imports.
While total PMS domestic supply settled at 39.6 ML/D down from 64.9 ML/D in January, the data reveals a growing reliance on domestic refinig as the receipt from domestic refineries outpaced imports for the first time in recent trends.
The Dangote Refinery emerged as the cornerstone of this domestic pivot, maintaining an average capacity utilization of 78.13% throughout February.
The facility significantly bolstered national energy security by contributing an average domestic supply of 36.5 million litres of PMS daily and 8.2 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
This surge in private-sector refining comes as state-owned plants remain largely inactive.
The Port Harcourt, Kaduna, and Warri refineries all continued to report shut down status for the month, though the Port Harcourt and Kaduna facilities managed to evacuate residual AGO stocks at averages of 0.392 ML/D and 0.027 ML/D, respectively.
The modular refinery sector also showed varied performance, with three operational plants supplying a combined average of 0.368 million litres of AGO per day.
Aradel led this group with a capacity utilization of 81.66%, followed by Edo Refinery at 59.66% and Waltersmith at 34.47%, the latter of which is still undergoing the critical process of introducing hydrocarbons.
Despite the drop in imports, national fuel sufficiency remains stable, with PMS reserves currently estimated to last 30.8 days, while AGO stock sufficiency surged to 47.6 days.
The report also reported progress on Nigeria’s strategic transition toward a gas-led economy.
As of February 2026, the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project reached 79.23% completion. Other vital link projects under the Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC) also moved forward, with the Midline Compressor Project nearing the finish line at 93.00% completion and the Odidi-Warri expansion (OWEP) reaching 67.34%.
However, the Escravos-Odidi (EOP) project remains in the early stages at 11.18% completion.
In the domestic Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) market, supply continues to outpace demand, ensuring a cushioned market for consumers.
The average daily supply of LPG stood at 4,703 metric tonnes (mt) against a daily consumption of 4,194 mt.
This surplus has helped maintain retail prices within a range of N980 to N1,500 per kilogram.
The NMDPRA noted that LPG supply is benefiting from strong, steady domestic contributions from both gas processing plants and the Dangote Refinery.