The Federal Government may resume issuing petrol and diesel import permits by mid-February 2026 to prevent possible fuel shortages following a temporary halt by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
Industry sources say the regulator is expected to begin approving new licences later this month or by early March, marking the first permits of the year. The pause was aimed at limiting imports to volumes needed to cover gaps in local refinery output and was also linked to recent leadership changes at the agency.
Under normal practice, import permits are issued quarterly and valid for three months, raising questions over how approvals will be handled midway into the first quarter.
Meanwhile, crude supply to the Dangote Refinery dropped to about 250,000 barrels per day in January from 350,000 bpd in December, its lowest in 16 months. The decline, along with ongoing maintenance on key processing units, has increased the risk of fuel shortfalls, prompting renewed interest in imports.
Although fuel demand eased during the festive period, rising domestic prices have made foreign cargoes more attractive. Petrol prices climbed by about 14 per cent to N799 per litre in late January from N699 in December.
Dangote Refinery has also warned that petrol prices could approach N1,000 per litre if marketers rely heavily on coastal transportation instead of gantry loading. The company said coastal logistics can add about N75 per litre, potentially imposing an extra N1.75 trillion annual burden on the economy.
The refinery stressed that gantry loading remains the most cost-effective option, as it avoids port charges and maritime costs. While marketers are free to choose their preferred evacuation method, Dangote cautioned that widespread use of coastal shipping could undermine recent price gains from local refining.
