Recent official data has revealed staggering figures about Nigeria's petroleum consumption patterns, highlighting both the massive demand for fuel and the growing domestic production capacity.
Record-Breaking Petrol Consumption Figures
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) disclosed that Nigerians consumed 56.74 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) daily throughout October 2025. This represents one of the highest consumption rates recorded in recent times.
According to the regulatory agency's factsheet released in November 2025, the country used an average of 661.5 million litres of petrol monthly between October 2024 and October 2025. The data indicates that October recorded the peak consumption level, followed by November 2024 with 56 million litres and April with 55.2 million litres.
Dangote Refinery's Significant Contribution
During the same period, the Dangote Refinery emerged as the sole domestic producer of PMS, manufacturing 18.03 million litres per day. This production level remains below the refinery's planned capacity of 35 million litres daily, indicating room for expanded output in the future.
The NMDPRA report confirmed that the three refineries owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) - Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna - remained non-operational and contributed zero petrol output during this period.
Broader Energy Consumption Trends
The consumption data extended beyond petrol, showing significant usage patterns across other fuel types:
- Diesel: 17.13 million litres consumed daily
- Aviation Fuel: 2.61 million litres used per day
- Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG): Averaged 6,095 metric tonnes daily
The NMDPRA emphasized that these verified statistics demonstrate ongoing transformations within Nigeria's energy sector, including reduced dependence on imported fuel, enhanced local production capabilities, and broader economic benefits such as job creation and safety improvements.
Regional Consumption Patterns
Further analysis of consumption patterns reveals significant regional disparities. Lagos State, Ogun State, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja emerged as the highest consumers of PMS nationwide.
The South-West region, spearheaded by Lagos, accounted for more than one-third of Nigeria's total petrol consumption. Data from June 2025 showed that Lagos alone consumed 205.7 million litres of gasoline, substantially exceeding the combined total of 132.7 million litres used by all five South-East states during the same period.
Following Lagos, Ogun State and the FCT recorded consumption of 88.7 million litres and 77.5 million litres respectively. Conversely, Jigawa State had the lowest allocation at 9.4 million litres, closely followed by Ebonyi State (10.5 million litres), Yobe State (11.7 million litres), and Bayelsa State (11.9 million litres).
The supply breakdown for October showed that from the total volume consumed, 27.6 million litres were imported while 17.08 million litres originated from domestic refineries. The NMDPRA reported that an average of 44.7 million litres of PMS reached the market daily during October.
