As Nigerians contend with rising petrol prices, vessels carrying 129,000 metric tonnes of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) and Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) are expected to dock at Lagos Ports between March 14 and 17, 2026, The PUNCH reports.
This came as officials of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority explained why some importers were still importing PMS despite the agency’s position that no petrol import licence had been issued this year.
According to the Nigerian Ports Authority’s Shipping Position Daily obtained on Monday, a vessel, Mosunmola, carrying 20,000MT of PMS, arrived at Lagos Ports via the Bulk Oil Plant on Sunday, March 14, 2026. Another vessel, Kobe, with 22,000MT of AGO, docked at Kirikiri Lighter Terminal Phase 2, Tin Can Island Port, on the same day.
On Tuesday, March 17, Bora is scheduled to arrive at Kirikiri Lighter Terminal 3B with 27,000MT of PMS, while Ashabi will bring 30,000MT of AGO to the same terminal.
Additionally, Oluwajuwonlo offloaded 15,000MT of PMS at Calabar Ports through Ecomarine Nigeria Limited on Sunday, March 15. Mosunmola will also deliver 15,000MT of PMS to Calabar Ports via a North West Petroleum Gas Co Limited terminal on March 17.
The vessel arrivals coincide with ongoing fuel price hikes nationwide. Nigerians currently face surging petrol costs after Dangote Petroleum Refinery raised its gantry price for PMS to N1,175 per litre, pushing retail prices above N1,200 per litre. The increase has affected transport fares and driven up the cost of goods and services nationwide.
Economic analysts, labour unions, and private sector leaders have called on the Federal Government to provide relief measures, citing rising crude oil prices driven by escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. Some stakeholders suggested subsidising petrol to mitigate the impact on citizens and businesses, warning that continued price increases could exacerbate inflation.
Petrol prices have reached between N1,200 and N1,300 per litre in several areas, with projections suggesting costs could exceed N1,500 or approach N2,000 per litre if the Middle East crisis persists.
Marketers speak
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria confirmed that independent marketers are prepared to lift imported products to ensure availability and competition.
IPMAN spokesperson Chinedu Ukadike said, “We, the independent marketers, are always on the receiving side. Wherever the product is coming from, and it is in the tanks of depot owners or NNPC, we will buy it. The most important thing is availability.
“If NMDPRA made a statement categorically that there is no import licence, I don’t know where this one is coming from. But we are ready to receive the products and sell. Maybe that will also breed competition, and this price volatility may have sustainability. So, I think it is also a welcome development.”
Ukadike added that the vessels might be operating under licences issued long ago and that delays at sea—particularly around the Strait of Hormuz—may explain their late arrival.
“It might also be an old importation licence issued since last year. It is acceptable. The imported products would not have any impact on prices unless the price of crude oil declines. The price depends on the volume and cost of the product because there is nothing like a reduction in prices when Brent is still selling for over $100,” he said.
NMDPRA explains imports
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority has clarified that no import licences were issued in the first quarter of 2026, asserting that shortfalls in February were covered by leftover stocks from January and existing refinery output.
While IPMAN and other stakeholders supported the halt on fuel import licences, major dealers and importers argued that imports were still necessary to meet national demand. February figures show Dangote refinery produced an average of 36 million litres per day, while national consumption was about 56 million litres per day, leaving an apparent gap.
A source within NMDPRA, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the lack of authorisation to speak on the matter, explained that the refinery’s unsold stocks were rolled over due to weather-related export delays in Europe at the end of 2025, closing the supply gap in February.
“The shortfall rolled over from previous stocks. These things are simple. Our fact sheets are published monthly. There were rollover stocks. Dangote didn’t export for a long time towards the end of last year. So, it was those rolled-over stocks that it supplied. Both marketers and Dangote are only jostling for market shares. Has there been a shortage? No!” the source said.
The regulator also refuted online claims that new licences had been issued, noting that licences are granted quarterly. “Those that were issued towards the end of last year were still being used. A licence for importation is not like taking money to the supermarket. It takes time for vessels to arrive. We have not issued any import licence this year,” the official said.
Nigeria has historically relied on imported refined petroleum products due to limited domestic refining capacity. However, the operational Dangote refinery, producing 650,000 barrels per day, has shifted the downstream dynamics. NMDPRA confirmed that domestic refineries supplied 36.5 million litres per day in February 2026, with imports contributing just three million litres, representing roughly 92 per cent of the national daily supply.
Chief Executive of NMDPRA, Saidu Mohammed, warned against returning to heavy import dependence. “We have not issued a single licence for petrol importation this year. Some interests still push for large-scale importation despite our progress in domestic refining,” he said during a meeting with a PUNCH delegation at the agency’s Abuja headquarters.
The recent vessel arrivals, while ensuring availability, largely reflect past import licences and logistical delays, rather than new authorisations from NMDPRA.