Nigeria has achieved a 670% increase in domestic petroleum refining as of April 2025, significantly reducing petrol imports. According to the NMDPRA, daily petrol imports dropped from 44.6 million litres in August 2024 to 14.7 million litres by mid-April 2025. NMDPRA CEO Farouk Ahmed attributed the decline to increased local output, driven by the phased restart of the Port Harcourt Refinery and contributions from modular refineries nationwide.
NMDPRA CEO Farouk Ahmed stated that local refineries increased output from virtually zero in August 2024 to 26.2 million litres per day by April 2025. This growth helped reduce petrol imports, though national supply still occasionally exceeded the government’s 50 million litres per day benchmark—peaking at 56 million litres in November 2024.
Supply dipped to 40.9 million litres in early April 2025. Ahmed affirmed that import licences are issued based on actual national needs, aligning with rising domestic production.NMDPRA CEO Farouk Ahmed urged a united national effort to protect Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure.
He emphasized the role of all stakeholders—security agencies, political leaders, traditional rulers, youths, and oil companies, including NNPCL and indigenous firms—in safeguarding energy assets. Ahmed also reiterated NMDPRA’s commitment to transparency and accountability in the midstream and downstream sectors.
