Crude oil imports by domestic refineries surged by 151.5 per cent to 5.13 million barrels in July 2026, up from 2.04 million barrels recorded in June, according to data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The increase came as domestic crude supplies to refineries fell sharply during the month.
The NMDPRA’s July 2026 Midstream and Downstream Statistics showed that domestic refineries received a total of 17.88 million barrels of crude in July. Of this volume, 12.75 million barrels were supplied locally, while 5.13 million barrels were imported.
Imported crude therefore accounted for 28.7 per cent of total crude receipts during the month, compared with 71.3 per cent from domestic supplies.
July’s import volume was significantly higher than the 2.04 million barrels recorded in June and the 2.08 million barrels imported in May. It also surpassed the 0.41 million barrels recorded in April.
However, the July figure remained below the 9.43 million barrels imported in March, the highest monthly volume recorded so far in 2026.
Crude imports stood at 0.71 million barrels in January before rising to 4.25 million barrels in February and peaking at 9.43 million barrels in March. Imports then plunged to 0.41 million barrels in April before recovering to 2.08 million barrels in May, 2.04 million barrels in June and 5.13 million barrels in July.
Meanwhile, domestic crude supplies to refineries declined by 25.4 per cent month-on-month, from 17.08 million barrels in June to 12.75 million barrels in July.
The increase in imports partly cushioned the decline in local supplies, although total crude receipts still fell by 6.5 per cent, from 19.12 million barrels in June to 17.88 million barrels in July.
In January, domestic refineries received 9.54 million barrels of crude, comprising 8.83 million barrels supplied locally and 0.71 million barrels imported.
The volume increased to 13.13 million barrels in February, with domestic crude accounting for 8.88 million barrels and imports 4.25 million barrels.
March recorded the highest monthly crude receipts so far in 2026 at 20.92 million barrels, comprising 11.49 million barrels of domestic crude and 9.43 million barrels of imports.
Total receipts stood at 18.37 million barrels in April, made up of 17.96 million barrels of domestic crude and 0.41 million barrels of imports.
In May, refineries received 17.92 million barrels, comprising 15.84 million barrels of domestic crude and 2.08 million barrels of imports, while June recorded 19.12 million barrels, consisting of 17.08 million barrels of domestic crude and 2.04 million barrels of imports.
Dangote Refinery Performance
The NMDPRA data also showed that the Dangote Refinery operated at an average capacity utilisation rate of 71.09 per cent in July.
The refinery produced an average of 25.9 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 19.1 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and 15.6 million litres of Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK) per day.
Its average domestic receipts stood at 25.8 million litres per day for PMS, 15.7 million litres for AGO and 1.9 million litres for ATK.
As of July 31, the refinery was exporting an average of 3.4 million litres of PMS, 11 million litres of AGO and 11.6 million litres of ATK daily.
At the end of July, its closing stocks stood at 446.1 million litres of PMS, 162.3 million litres of AGO and 217.4 million litres of ATK.
