• Nigeria suspends gasoline import licenses for second straight month

• Decision follows rising domestic supply from Dangote refinery

• Policy aligns with law prioritising local production over imports

Nigeria's downstream petroleum regulator suspended import licenses for gasoline for a second consecutive month, local media reported on Wednesday, signaling a shift toward domestic supply.

Regulatory data showed no import licenses were issued in February. The Council of Petroleum Marketers of Nigeria (CORAN), an association of local refiners, confirmed that no approvals had been granted so far in March either.

CORAN, which for several years has urged authorities to limit imports that undermine the profitability of domestic refineries, welcomed the regulator's decision. Spokesman Eche Idoko said any measure aimed at protecting local production was a positive development for the sector, while noting that the main challenge would be maintaining the policy over time.

The decision is based on provisions of the 2021 Petroleum Industry Act, which permits fuel imports only when domestic production cannot meet national demand. Regulatory data showed available volumes on the domestic market were deemed sufficient to cover the country's needs.

Nigeria's average daily gasoline consumption reached 56.9 million liters per day in February 2026, down from 60.2 million liters in January. During the same period, Dangote Group's refinery supplied 36.5 million liters of gasoline and around 8 million liters of diesel to the local market. On that basis, the regulator determined that domestic production was sufficient to reduce reliance on imports. The refinery reached its full processing capacity of 650,000 barrels per day during February.

The suspension marks a shift from the position held by the regulator's former head, who had argued that continued imports were necessary to maintain market competition and prevent a single player from dominating the country's fuel supply.

The balance between domestic refining and imports remains a sensitive issue in a country that has long exported crude oil while importing the bulk of its refined products. The development of new refining capacity, most notably through Dangote Group's refinery, is gradually reshaping that balance and prompting authorities to adjust their supply policy.

Olivier de Souza