Nigeria’s domestic fuel supply rose 25 per cent in January 2026 as the Dangote Petroleum Refinery delivered an average of 40 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) per day, according to data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

This marked an increase of about eight million litres daily from December 2025’s 32 million litres, highlighting the refinery’s steady ramp-up toward meeting more of the nation’s fuel needs amid ongoing imports.

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery delivered an average of 40.1 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) per day.

The growth in output comes as the refinery moves closer to its stated goal of covering a larger share of national fuel demand, while imports continue to complement domestic supply.

The NMDPRA report shows that Nigeria’s domestic supply benchmark for PMS stands at 75 million litres per day, with the Dangote Refinery now contributing over 40 million litres daily.

Average PMS consumption in January 2026 stood at 60.2 million litres per day.

Imports from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and other marketers averaged 24.8 million litres daily.

Overall, total PMS supply into the domestic market averaged 64.9 million litres per day.

The regulator noted that consumption figures are based on volumes trucked out into the domestic market, serving as the key metric for measuring effective fuel distribution.

The data underlines the refinery’s growing role in meeting national demand.

The refinery has reached its full designed capacity, marking what the company describes as a historic milestone and making it the first refinery globally to achieve full nameplate capacity in a single train of that scale.

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery, located in the Lekki Free Zone, Lagos, is designed as a 650,000 barrels-per-day single-train facility, making it the largest of its kind in the world.

The refinery has been under phased ramp-up since its commissioning, with the goal of reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported PMS.

In December 2025, the refinery projected it could supply up to 50 million litres of PMS daily between December 2025 and January 2026.

Management has optimised its Crude Distillation Unit and Motor Spirit production block, stabilising steady-state operations.

A 72-hour performance test run is underway with technology licensor UOP to validate operational efficiency and confirm compliance with global standards.

The refinery’s capacity milestones are considered a key factor in strengthening Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector.

Recall that billionaire investor Femi Otedola recently projected the naira could strengthen to below N1,000 per dollar before year-end, citing reduced import demand and the refinery’s operational milestone.

The refinery’s latest production figures indicate Nigeria is moving closer to achieving its domestic supply targets.

NMDPRA earlier reported that Nigeria’s daily petrol consumption surged to 63.7 million litres per day (ml/d) in December 2025.

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Nigeria has stepped up ahead of Egypt as Africa’s second-largest importer as solar energy and battery storage provide a practical and affordable alternative to diesel generators and unreliable grid power.

The gradual removal of diesel subsidies in Nigeria in the past two years also has helped accelerate adoption of solar energy. The policy was implemented sector by sector to cushion its impact, making diesel increasingly expensive and nudging businesses and households toward solar.

Last September, Nigeria announced plans for a 1 GW solar panel factory, the largest in West Africa. Similar facilities are under construction in Egypt, South Africa and Ethiopia.

Historically, South Africa dominated solar imports in Africa, at one point accounting for roughly half of all panels shipped to the continent. The latest data show its share has slipped below a third as demand surged elsewhere. Last year, 20 African nations set new annual records for solar imports, as 25 countries imported a total of at least 100 megawatts of capacity, according to report by the Africa Solar Industry Association.

In Algeria, solar imports soared more than 30-fold year-on-year. Imports also surged in Zambia and Botswana.

At least 23 African countries, including South Africa, Tunisia, Kenya, Chad and the Central African Republic, are now generating over 5 per cent of their electricity from solar energy, the report said.

Prices have fallen both for solar panels and batteries, mostly from China, enabling households and businesses to rely on solar plus batteries for round-the-clock electricity, the report said. Battery storage costs in Africa fell to $112 per kilowatt-hour in 2025 from an average of $144 per kilowatt-hour in 2023 as improved technology made storage systems more flexible and longer lasting.

Africa was the world’s fastest-growing solar market in 2025, defying a global slowdown and reshaping where the momentum in renewable energy is concentrated, according to the report.

The continent’s solar installed capacity expanded 17 per cent in 2025, boosted by imports of Chinese-made solar panels. Global solar power capacity rose 23 per cent in 2025 to 618 GW, slowing from a 44 per cent increase in 2024.

“Chinese companies are the main drivers in Africa’s green transition,” said Cynthia Angweya-Muhati, acting CEO of the Kenya Renewable Energy Association. “They are aggressively investing in and building robust supply chains in Africa green energy ecosystem.”

Some of that capacity has yet to be rolled out. Africa has only 23.4 gigawatts peak (GWp) of working solar capacity even though nearly 64 GWp of solar equipment has been shipped to the continent since 2017. A gigawatt peak represents 1 billion watts of maximum, optimum power output under ideal conditions.

“Africa’s growth is driven by changing policies and enabling conditions in a number of countries, “said John Van Zuylen, CEO of the Africa Solar Industry Association.

“Solar energy has moved beyond a handful of early adopters to become a broader continental priority,” he said recently on the sidelines of the Inter Solar Africa summit in Nairobi. “What we are seeing is not temporary. It is policies aligning with market dynamics.”

“This ever-decreasing price of storage has game-changing implications for Africa, which has a dire need for stable and baseload power,” said Van Zuyken.

As Africa moves to build its own manufacturing capacity, the industry is looking to China to transfer knowhow to help alleviate Africa’s dependence on imported equipment and technology.

“The solar jobs boom is occurring in services including installation, maintenance, distribution and financing, where thousands of small and medium enterprises are emerging to meet rising demand,” Van Zuylen said.

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A devastating fire was still raging in parts of Singa Market in Kano State up till the early hours of Sunday, over 12 hours since a massive blaze broke out and destroyed goods worth millions of naira.

The inferno, which started on Saturday evening, spread rapidly razing large sections of the market.

As of the time of filing this report, flames were yet to be completely extinguished, while the exact cause of the incident remained unknown.

The Public Relations Officer of the Kano State Fire Service, Saminu Abdullahi, said lack of access roads significantly affected their firefighting efforts.

“Lack of access roads within the market, as well as heavy human and vehicular movements, were affecting the movement of fire service vehicles,” he said, adding that personnel were working under difficult conditions to bring the situation under control.

Many traders reportedly stayed through the night in desperate attempts to salvage their goods as thick smoke enveloped the market. Sympathisers also gathered at the scene to support affected shop owners.

Meanwhile, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf visited the market while the fire was still raging late Saturday night.

According to a press release signed by the Governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the governor arrived at Singa Market “while the fire was still raging and causing damage to shops and property.”

Governor Yusuf, the release stated, “called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene by providing modern firefighting equipment, including air support and other essential tools, to help contain the fire and prevent future occurrences.”

He further noted that such intervention would “strengthen the capacity of fire services to respond effectively to emergencies in major commercial centres like Singer Market.”

The governor also “commended the efforts of the Kano State Fire Service and other security agencies for their commitment in battling the inferno,” urging traders and residents to remain calm and cooperate with emergency responders.

There was no official confirmation of any casualty as at press time.

It was reports that this is the second fire outbreak at Singa Market in less than two weeks, with the first incident being on February 2, 2026, leading to significant losses estimated in millions of naira.

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