Nigeria's petroleum regulator, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), granted import approvals to six oil marketers on September 18, 2026, allowing them to bring in a combined 830,000 metric tonnes of petrol in the fourth quarter of 2026. This approval comes even as domestic refineries continue to expand their share of the country's fuel supply.
The six companies—Matrix Energy, AA Rano, AYM Shafa, NIPCO, Pinnacle Oil, and Bono Energy—have received import approvals at several points during the year, according to a report by Legit.ng. Their combined allocation stood at 180,000 metric tonnes in the first quarter, before rising sharply to 720,000 tonnes in the second quarter. By the third quarter, the figure had climbed to more than 800,000 metric tonnes. The latest fourth-quarter approval brings the total authorised volume for these companies to 830,000 metric tonnes.
Domestic Refineries Cover 76.7% of Petrol Needs
Despite this growth in approved import volumes, Nigeria's reliance on foreign petrol has actually fallen. Domestic refineries covered roughly 76.7% of the country's petrol needs in the first quarter of 2026, according to NMDPRA data. Petrol imports also dropped by about 60% year-on-year during the same period, falling to approximately 965.5 million litres. The NMDPRA said it has continued to approve imports to provide additional sources of supply and support stability in the fuel market.
The regulatory approvals also follow reports that Dangote Refinery recently restricted the sale of its petroleum products to the Lagos market, a development that has added further complexity to Nigeria's fuel supply picture.
Dangote Refinery Dispute Adds Pressure
The approvals come against the backdrop of a legal challenge filed by Dangote Petroleum Refinery against the Federal Government over petrol import licences. The refinery has argued that the NMDPRA should not be renewing or issuing import licences when domestic supply is adequate to meet national demand. The case is currently before the Federal High Court, with the next hearing scheduled for October 7, 2026.
With the fourth-quarter permits now in place, imported petrol will continue to sit alongside domestically refined products as part of Nigeria's fuel supply mix through the end of 2026.
NNPC Filling Station New Petrol Price
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that petrol prices across Nigeria have climbed sharply after Dangote Petroleum Refinery raised its wholesale gantry price from N1,265 to N1,350 per litre, pushing pump prices at major filling stations to new highs in Lagos, Abuja, and Ogun state. The N85 increase, which amounts to a 6.7% rise, has taken the refinery's wholesale price above Nigeria's current petrol landing cost of about N1,311 per litre.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has set its pump price at N1,380 per litre from N1,299.
