Nigeria prioritises local gasoline supply, suspends import licences

Nigeria has suspended the issuance of gasoline import licences for a second straight month as regulators begin enforcing provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) that allow imports only when the African country’s domestic supply falls short.

Data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) show that no import licences were issued in February, while the Crude Oil Refineries Association of Nigeria (CORAN) confirmed that none have been issued so far in March, signalling a shift towards prioritising local output.

This shift highlights a stronger intent by Nigerian authorities to protect domestic refining and marks a win for the Dangote Refinery, which last year sued the regulator and the state oil company to force a halt to imports.

Under the PIA, the regulator may grant import permits only when domestic production is not enough to meet national demand.

The previous regulator, who quit ​last year, argued that issuing licences was necessary to maintain competition and ​prevent market dominance.

Fuel pump prices have surged by more than 54% since the U.S. and ‌Israel ⁠began strikes on Iran last week, pushing global oil markets higher. NMDPRA spokesperson George Ene‑Ita blamed the sharp rise in prices on escalating conflict in the Middle East.

Nigeria’s average daily petrol consumption fell to 56.9 million litres per day in February 2026, down from 60.2 million litres in January.

In February, the Dangote Refinery supplied 36.5 million litres of petrol and 8 million litres of ​diesel to the local market. The regulator deemed these volumes ​sufficient, leading to its decision to withhold import licences.

Eche Idoko, spokesperson for the Crude Oil Refiners Association of Nigeria (CORAN), which has long urged the government to stop issuing import licences that undermine local refiners’ margins, welcomed the regulator’s stance.

“For us, anything that protects local production is a good move. The challenge now is ​to sustain the momentum,” Idoko said.

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