By Our Correspondent
National News – Nigeria spent about N8.96 trillion on petrol imports in 2025, highlighting the country’s continued reliance on foreign fuel supplies despite increased investment in domestic refining capacity.
Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics showed that Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, remained one of the most imported commodities throughout the year.
The report indicated that while the import bill declined significantly compared with the N15.42 trillion recorded in 2024, the country still spent far more on fuel imports than in 2023, when the subsidy removal policy was implemented by the administration of Bola Tinubu.
According to the figures, Nigeria’s petrol imports in 2025 dropped by about 41.9 percent from the previous year but remained 19.3 percent higher than the N7.51 trillion spent in 2023.
The development underscores persistent supply gaps in the downstream petroleum sector.
Industry data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority revealed that the country consumed approximately 18.97 billion litres of petrol in 2025.
Out of this volume, 11.85 billion litres—about 62.47 percent—were imported, while domestic refineries supplied roughly 7.54 billion litres, accounting for 37.53 percent of national demand.
Despite the operational launch of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and rehabilitation of state-owned refineries, import dependence remained high due to crude supply constraints, logistics challenges, and market dynamics.
A quarterly breakdown of the import figures showed fluctuating spending patterns. Nigeria spent N1.76 trillion in the first quarter, rising to N2.38 trillion in the second quarter.
However, the figure dropped sharply to N1.29 trillion in the third quarter before surging to N3.54 trillion in the final quarter, the highest quarterly import bill recorded in the year.
The fourth-quarter spike accounted for nearly 40 percent of the total annual petrol import expenditure, reflecting seasonal demand pressures and supply shortages.
Nigeria sourced petrol from several international suppliers, including the Netherlands, the United States, Belgium, Brazil, and Togo, illustrating the global nature of the country’s fuel supply chain.
Energy experts warn that sustained reliance on petrol imports could continue to exert pressure on foreign exchange reserves and raise concerns about Nigeria’s long-term energy security unless domestic refining capacity improves significantly.
