Nigeria petrol supply fails to meet rising demand

Nigeria experienced a significant shortfall in petrol supply during September 2026, as daily consumption rose to 44.4 million litres while combined domestic and imported supplies fell to 38.7 million litres. According to data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), petrol imports declined by 30.1 per cent compared to August, dropping to 10.2 million litres per day.

Domestic petrol receipts also saw a decrease of 20.6 per cent, falling to 28.5 million litres daily. This gap resulted in recorded receipts covering only approximately 87.2 per cent of the reported demand. While the regulator's reported stock cover improved slightly to 23.9 days in September from 22.9 days in August, it remains below the 30-day benchmark.

Earlier in the year, consumption patterns fluctuated significantly. In August, consumption reached a low of 41.6 million litres per day, a 31 per cent reduction from the 60.2 million litres consumed in January. Analysts suggest rising prices have led many citizens to reduce vehicle use or rely less on petrol-fueled generators.