As regulators begin enforcing the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which permits imports only when the country's domestic supply is insufficient, Nigeria has halted the issuance of gasoline import licenses for the second month. In February, approximately 92% of Nigeria's daily gasoline supply came from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery because the Federal Government had stopped importing Premium Motor Spirit (gasoline). No licenses for gasoline imports have been granted this year, according to numerous sources at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and at major fuel-importing corporations. According to NMDPRA sources, the nation can now fulfill its daily fuel needs through domestic refining, negating the need for gasoline imports.
As Dangote Petroleum Refinery takes control of Nigeria's N14.4 trillion petrol market, stakeholders, including energy experts, economists, and Nigerian workers, have expressed concern over the FG's suspension of petrol imports and called for immediate price regulation, indicating a significant upheaval in the country's energy sector.
This change shows that Nigerian authorities are more determined to safeguard indigenous refining, and it is a victory for the Dangote Refinery, which sued the state oil firm and the regulator last year to stop imports. Only in cases where domestic production is insufficient to satisfy national demand may the regulator issue import permits under the PIA. The former regulator, who resigned last year, claimed that granting licenses was essential to preserving competition and avoiding market domination.
Since the United States and Israel started attacking Iran last week, fuel pump prices have increased by more than 54%, driving up global oil markets. George Ene, spokesperson for NMDPRA Ita attributed the steep price increase on the Middle East's growing strife. In February 2026, Nigeria's average daily gasoline consumption decreased from 60.2 million liters in January to 56.9 million liters.
The local market received 36.5 million liters of gasoline and 8 million liters of diesel from the Dangote Refinery in February. The authority decided to deny import licenses because it thought these levels were adequate.
