WorldStage– The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has eased petrol import restrictions by granting a new batch of licenses to six local marketers on Wednesday, March 25, 2026.
Following a brief suspension in February, the NMDPRA has authorized six oil marketers to import a combined total of 180,000 metric tonnes (MT) of petrol.
The decision to resume licensing, according to the agency, was triggered by a shortfall in domestic supply and disruptions caused by the ongoing Middle East crisis.
The move follows reports that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery had supplied approximately 92% of Nigeria’s petrol in February 2026.
Under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, import licenses are only intended to be issued when domestic production cannot meet national demand.
Dangote Group has always criticized the continued issuance of import licenses, arguing that the refinery has the capacity to meet demand (up to 75 million litres daily) and has threatened to export its entire production if imports continue to “dump” products into the local market.
The newly licensed marketers, which include various depot owners, are expected to use these permits to stabilize supply and prevent market concentration by a single producer.
