NMDPRA issues fresh import permits amid growing concerns over supply concentration in the downstream sector

Nigeria's petroleum regulator has quietly authorised six depot owners and fuel marketers to import petrol, in what industry insiders say marks a deliberate policy shift to prevent dangerous over-reliance on a single domestic supplier.

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) issued the permits in recent weeks, clearing each of the six importers to bring in approximately 30,000 metric tonnes of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) — a move that signals Abuja is moving to diversify supply lines before they become a vulnerability.

The timing is telling. Fresh industry data shows the Dangote Petroleum Refinery accounted for roughly 92% of Nigeria's petrol supply in February alone. Local refineries collectively delivered an average of 36.5 million litres per day that month, with imports contributing just three million litres daily — bringing total national supply to approximately 39.5 million litres per day.

Dangote remains the only facility in Nigeria currently producing petrol at scale, with most modular refineries focused almost exclusively on diesel.

The regulatory intervention carries added weight given its rarity. A senior industry source with direct knowledge of NMDPRA's operations confirmed that no petrol import permits had been issued under the authority's current leadership — until now. That makes the latest approvals a significant departure, widely interpreted as a safeguard to keep the market competitive and resilient as domestic refining capacity continues to mature.

Nigeria's downstream sector is at a crossroads. The country has long battled fuel supply crises rooted in import dependency. Having largely solved that problem — but now with supply concentrated in a single refinery — regulators appear to be threading a careful needle: protecting Dangote's investment while ensuring no single player can hold the market hostage.