Nigeria's petrol imports rose sharply by 207 per cent in June 2026, even as domestic Premium Motor Spirit supply declined by 22 per cent, according to the latest fact sheet released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.

The report showed that average daily PMS imports increased from 5.9 million litres in May to 18.1 million litres in June, representing a month-on-month increase of 12.2 million litres.

In contrast, domestic PMS receipts dropped from 41.5 million litres per day in May to 32.5 million litres per day in June, a decline of 9 million litres.

Despite the fall in local supply, total petrol receipts increased by 6.8 per cent, rising from 47.4 million litres per day in May to 50.6 million litres per day in June. The increase was driven largely by the surge in imports, which compensated for the reduced domestic output.

The NMDPRA explained that while crude oil deliveries to local refineries increased by about 9.3 per cent, from 0.578 million barrels per day in May to 0.632 million barrels per day in June, the higher crude supply did not immediately translate into increased petrol production. The authority noted that refinery operations, maintenance schedules, product yields, and evacuation logistics may have contributed to the lower domestic petrol receipts.

— PUNCH