The boost in Nigeria’s local crude oil refining capacity has been strengthened as the value of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) importation shrank further in April to N192 billion. Data from the Nigerian Ports Authority’s Shipping Position revealed a sharp decline by 14 per cent as port jetties took delivery of products in April.

Findings revealed that a total of 182 million litres was imported in March but shipment was reduced to 158 million litres in April. According to the data, Sabaek berthed with 110,000 tonnes; SL Aremu, 10,000 tonnes and Pinarello, 38 000 tonnes as landing price was N1, 215 per litres, following the United States – Iran conflict in the Middle East.

Recall that the latest data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority had also noted a drop in the importation of crude for domestic refining in April 2026, The data shows that out of the total 18.37 million barrels of crude supplied to domestic refineries for the month, only 410,000 were imported, while as much as 17.96 million barrels came from local sources.

The development indicates a reduction in import dependence compared to previous months, where imports stood at 9.43 million barrels in March and 4.25 million barrels in February.

NMDPRA noted that the country imported an estimated 1.8 billion litres of PMS in the first quarter of 2026 as landing price was stable at between N930 and N940 per litre. Imports stood at 24.8 million litres per day in January 2026, translating to 798.8 million litres for the month.

Nevertheless, the figure declined sharply in February to just three million litres per day, equivalent to 84 million litres, before recovering slightly to 5.9 million litres per day or 182.9 million litres in March.

It was gathered that the decline was triggered a 25.4 million litres per day, thereby pushing overall supply down to 39.5 million litres per day, well below the 52 million litres per day average benchmark.

The authority noted that domestic supply peaked at 40.1 million litres per day in January and remained elevated at 36.5 million litres per day in February and 34.2 million litres per day in March, effectively offsetting part of the import shortfall.

In March, marketers imported PMS worth N286.7 billion shipped to four Lagos oil jetties to meet the local supply gap when the landing price was N1,130.2/ litre.

The landing price comprise of Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF), shipping, freight and insurance charges, port handling and terminal charges by Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and other agencies.

Meanwhile, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has said that the import licences to Matrix Energy Group, A.A. Rano Nigeria Limited, AYM Shafa Limited, Bono Oil and Gas, and Pinnacle Oil and Gas Limited to import fuel were issued in the last quarter of 2025 in order to bridge supply gaps in the domestic market.