Nigeria’s petrol consumption declined by 15.7 per cent in the second quarter of 2026 as higher pump prices triggered by global oil market disruptions forced households and businesses to cut back on fuel usage.
An analysis of data released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) showed that total petrol consumption fell from 5.07 billion litres in the first quarter to 4.27 billion litres in the second quarter, representing a decline of about 797.6 million litres.
The regulator’s downstream performance statistics revealed that average daily petrol consumption dropped steadily during the first half of the year.
Daily consumption averaged 60.2 million litres in January before falling to 56.9 million litres in February and 47.3 million litres in March.
The downward trend continued into the second quarter, with average daily truck-outs standing at 51.1 million litres in April, 46.3 million litres in May and 47.4 million litres in June.
The decline followed a surge in global crude oil prices after the conflict between the United States and Iran disrupted shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a major global oil transit route.
As international crude prices climbed above $100 per barrel, the cost of importing refined petroleum products into Nigeria increased significantly.
The higher landing costs pushed retail petrol prices from about ₦800 per litre before the conflict to as much as ₦1,400 per litre in several cities across the country.
The sharp increase in fuel prices compelled households, transport operators and businesses to reduce consumption as operating costs continued to rise.
Despite weaker domestic demand, petrol imports increased sharply during the same period.
According to the NMDPRA data, total petrol imports rose from an estimated 266.9 million litres in the first quarter to 836.9 million litres in the second quarter, representing an increase of more than 213 per cent.
Import volumes were particularly high in June, when daily import receipts reached 18.1 million litres.
The increase was attributed to marketers’ efforts to maintain adequate national fuel supplies, address domestic refining shortfalls and provide competition in the downstream market.
The impact of rising energy costs also extended to other petroleum products.
Diesel consumption declined from 1.67 billion litres in the first quarter to 1.47 billion litres in the second quarter.
Average daily diesel consumption also dropped from 20.3 million litres in February to 16 million litres in both May and June.
Liquefied petroleum gas, commonly known as cooking gas, also recorded lower demand.
Daily consumption fell from 5.2 kilotonnes in February to 4.1 kilotonnes by June as prices reportedly rose to about ₦2,000 per kilogramme.
Kerosene consumption recorded slight fluctuations during the period before ending the second quarter at 2.9 million litres per day.
The report indicated that higher fuel prices significantly changed consumer behaviour, with many motorists reducing non-essential travel and adopting carpooling to manage transportation costs.
Small businesses that rely on petrol-powered generators also adjusted their operating hours or transferred higher operating costs to customers.
Despite the market pressures, the NMDPRA said petrol stock sufficiency remained within operational limits throughout the period, averaging between 16 and 33 days.
