Nigeria’s fuel imports have surged to 2.3 billion litres between September 11 and December 5, 2024, even though the Dangote and Port Harcourt refineries have begun production. This continued importation has raised questions about Nigeria’s fuel supply strategy.

The Dangote Refinery, with a production capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, started operations on September 15, 2024. The Port Harcourt refinery followed suit on November 26, 2024. Despite this, fuel imports have persisted, according to data from the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

In the last three days alone, 52,000 metric tonnes of petrol—about 68.74 million litres—were imported into Nigeria. These shipments arrived at major ports, including Apapa Port in Lagos, Tin Can Port in Lagos, and Calabar Port in Cross Rivers. Notably, a vessel named Binta Saleh arrived at Apapa Port on December 3, 2024, with 15.86 million litres of petrol. The following day, another ship, Shamal, brought in 26.44 million litres at Tin Can Port, and today, the vessel Watson is expected to deliver a similar amount to Calabar Port.

This continued importation is despite the Nigerian government’s efforts to reduce reliance on imports. In October 2024, the Federal Government announced that marketers could now buy petrol directly from the Dangote Refinery, ending the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s (NNPC) control over the refinery’s fuel sales.

Despite these changes, it appears that Nigeria is still relying heavily on fuel imports to meet demand, even as domestic production ramps up. The situation highlights ongoing challenges in Nigeria’s fuel supply system, which still struggles with ensuring sufficient domestic production.