The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has approved permits for the importation of 830,000 metric tonnes of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) for the fourth quarter of 2026.
The approvals, issued on September 18, were granted to six oil marketers including Matrix Energy, AA Rano, AYM Shafa, NIPCO, Pinnacle Oil and Bono Energy. The allocation maintains the same group of beneficiaries used in the regulator’s previous major petrol import programme.
The approval comes as Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity continues to expand, particularly with output from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery. Despite the growth in local supply, the regulator has continued to maintain an import window to provide an additional source of petrol supply.
The six marketers had received a combined 180,000 tonnes of import permits in the first quarter of 2026, before the allocation increased to 720,000 tonnes in the second quarter.
The third-quarter allocation subsequently rose to more than 800,000 tonnes, while the latest approval brings the Q4 volume to 830,000 tonnes.
The approval means imported petrol will continue to form part of Nigeria’s fuel supply mix through the final quarter of the year, alongside products supplied by domestic refineries.
The continued issuance of import permits comes despite a significant reduction in Nigeria’s dependence on imported petrol.
Data cited from the NMDPRA showed that domestic refineries supplied about 76.7 per cent of the country’s petrol requirements in the first quarter of 2026. Petrol imports also fell by about 60 per cent year-on-year during the period to approximately 965.5 million litres.
The shift reflects the increasing contribution of domestic refineries to the downstream market, although imports remain available as a supply buffer when local production, logistics, or market conditions create gaps.
The Guardian reported that domestic refiners supplied nearly 80 per cent of petrol available in Nigeria during the first six months of 2026, with imports accounting for just over 20 per cent.
The latest import approvals also come amid an ongoing legal dispute between Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Federal Government over petrol import licenses.
Dangote Refinery has challenged the continued issuance and renewal of import licenses by the NMDPRA, arguing that such permits should not be granted where domestic supply is sufficient to meet demand. The case is before the Federal High Court, with the next hearing scheduled for October 7, 2026.
The development also follows reports that Dangote Refinery has restricted sales of its petroleum products to the Lagos market. This could affect supply options for marketers as the regulator maintains an import channel alongside domestic production.
With the 830,000-tonne allocation approved, Nigeria’s downstream market will continue to operate with both locally refined and imported petrol through the final quarter of 2026.
