Nigeria’s downstream petroleum regulator has cleared six oil marketing companies to bring in a combined 830,000 metric tonnes of Premium Motor Spirit before the year runs out, a move designed to cushion the country against any supply hiccups when fuel demand typically spikes for Christmas and the New Year.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority issued the approvals on September 18, 2026, handing import permits to Matrix Energy, AA Rano, AYM Shafa, NIPCO, Pinnacle Oil and Bono Energy. These six names aren’t new to the programme, they’ve been the recurring beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s petrol import scheme through virtually the whole of 2026, and this latest allocation continues a pattern that has seen the volumes climb steadily with each passing quarter.
A Steady Climb Through the Year
To appreciate how significant this latest figure is, it helps to look at where things started. Back in the first quarter of the year, the same set of marketers shared just 180,000 metric tonnes between them. By the second quarter, that number had jumped more than threefold to 720,000 metric tonnes. The third quarter pushed things further, with the allocation crossing 800,000 metric tonnes. Now, with the fourth-quarter approval sitting at 830,000 metric tonnes, the trend line has been unmistakably upward for a full year.
A spokesperson for the regulator, identified as Mr Ene-Ita, confirmed the approvals to Premium Times, explaining that the permits were meant to guard against any supply gaps as the country heads into what’s usually the most fuel-intensive stretch of the year. Details of exactly how the 830,000 metric tonnes will be split among the six companies weren’t disclosed at the time the approvals were announced, though earlier quarters offer a rough guide to how these things tend to shake out; in the second-quarter round, for instance, NIPCO, AYM Shafa and Pinnacle each took 120,000 metric tonnes, AA Rano and Matrix Energy got 150,000 metric tonnes apiece, and Bono Energy came in with 60,000 metric tonnes.
Imports Persist Even as Local Refining Grows
What makes this development worth paying attention to is the backdrop against which it’s happening. Dangote Petroleum Refinery has been steadily expanding its output and its footprint in the domestic petrol market, and regulatory data shows that locally refined petrol accounted for 76.7 percent of Nigeria’s supply in the first quarter of 2026 alone. Import volumes, meanwhile, have fallen sharply year-on-year, by roughly 60 percent, dropping to about 965.5 million litres over the same period.
On paper, that kind of local refining strength would seem to reduce the case for continued imports. Yet the government appears to be taking the view that having a buffer matters more than leaning entirely on one source, particularly heading into a period when petrol consumption typically surges across the country. Whether that’s prudent risk management or an unnecessary hedge depends on who you ask, and right now, one very interested party is asking that question rather loudly in court.
Dangote Pushes Back in Court
The refinery isn’t taking the continued import approvals quietly. Dangote has filed a case at the Federal High Court seeking to have the import licences nullified, arguing that domestic refining capacity is now more than sufficient to meet the country’s petrol needs without relying on foreign supply. The matter is set for further hearing on October 7, 2026, and the outcome could have real implications for how the NMDPRA handles future import rounds, including whatever comes after Q4.
Adding another layer to the competitive picture, Dangote Refinery has recently cut its petrol pump prices to levels below what it would cost marketers to bring in imported fuel, a move widely read as an attempt to make imports less commercially attractive even where they’re legally permitted. It’s a pointed play: rather than waiting on the courts alone, the refinery is also competing on price to squeeze the economics of importation.
What This Means for Motorists and the Market
For the average Nigerian filling up at the pump, the practical upshot of all this manoeuvring is that petrol supply for the final quarter of the year looks reasonably well covered, at least on paper. Between Dangote’s expanding output, other domestic refining sources, and now this fresh batch of import permits, the government is clearly trying to avoid the kind of scarcity scenes that have plagued the downstream sector in past festive seasons.
Whether the 830,000 metric tonnes actually lands and gets distributed smoothly is, of course, a different question; logistics, forex availability, and the ongoing legal tussle could all still complicate matters between now and December. But for now, marketers have the paperwork they need, and the regulator has signalled it would rather have supply sitting in reserve than risk a shortage when demand is at its highest.
The coming weeks, especially with the October 7 court date on the horizon, will likely determine whether this approval pattern continues into 2027 or whether Dangote’s legal challenge forces a rethink of how Nigeria balances local refining against the safety net of imports.
