…As Nigeria’s PMS daily importation drops from 44.6m to 14.7m
The Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), Mr Bashir Ojulari, has reaffirmed his commitment to partner with key stakeholders to deliver on his mandate.
Ojulari made the pledge when he visited the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, on Wednesday in Abuja.
Ojulari, in a statement by Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd., underscored the need for a shared vision of progress and performance for Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
He emphasised that his executive leadership team stepped into office with a spirit of collaboration and a deep resolve to make a lasting impact.
He said that the success of NNPC Ltd. would depend on close synergy with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Ministry of Finance, and other relevant institutions, to break through bureaucratic barriers and accelerate results.
“We are here with a mindset of partnership; a partnership with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Ministry of Finance, and all other critical stakeholders. Our goal is to bridge the gaps, foster alignment and move forward with a united front. Antagonism benefits no one; collaboration is how we win,” Soneye quoted Ojulari as saying.
In response, Lokpobiri expressed strong confidence in the new leadership of NNPC Ltd., adding that he knows many members of the management team personally and had received outstanding reports about their professional capabilities.
“This is arguably the strongest leadership team NNPC Ltd. has ever assembled. Now is the time to translate that reputation into measurable results, especially in increasing crude oil production and ensuring the sector delivers optimal value to the Nigerian people.”
The Minister assured Ojulari of his unwavering support and strategic guidance, adding that his office would work closely with him to provide the enabling environment for NNPC Ltd. to thrive and deliver on its national mandate.
“This renewed spirit of partnership signals a new chapter for the oil and gas industry, marked by purposeful collaboration, operational excellence, and a shared commitment to national development,” he said.
In a related development Nigeria has already started enjoying the dividends of the deregulation of its oil and gas sector, as the country’s importation of the Premium Motor Spirit has dropped to its lowest ebb in nearly a decade.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), yesterday said Nigeria has significantly reduced its importation of the product.
The Chief Executive Officer, NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, who announced this during a press briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team (PTC) at the State House in Abuja, said the county’s PMS daily importation had dropped from 44.6 million litres in August 2024 to 14.7 million litres as of April 13.
He attributed the 30-million-litre drop in imports to increased contributions from local refineries.
Ahmed also disclosed that local production of petrol surged by 670 per cent during the same period.
He credited the rise to the gradual restart of the Port Harcourt Refining Company in November 2024, along with added output from modular refineries across the country.
“After contributing virtually nothing in August 2024, local plants delivered 26.2 million litres per day in early April, a jump from the 3.4 million litres recorded in September 2024, which was the first month with measurable output.”
He, however, said that in spite of the growth in domestic supply, total national supply exceeded the government’s 50 million litres per day consumption benchmark.
“Only twice within the eight-month period—56 million litres in November 2024 and 52.3 million litres in February, 2025.
He added that the month of March 2025 saw a slight dip to 51.5 million litres per day, while the first half of April recorded an even lower average of 40.9 million litres per day.
Ahmed emphasised that the NMDPRA issues import licenses strictly in line with national supply requirements, underscoring the authority’s commitment to balancing imports with growing local production capacity.
He called for a collective national effort in protecting and maintaining Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure.
According to him, all stakeholders – including security agencies, political leaders, traditional rulers, youths, and oil companies must work together to secure national energy assets.
“It takes all of us — government, traditional institutions, companies, and the youth—to collaborate and resist criminal activities that threaten our infrastructure,” he said.
The CEO also stressed that government authorities and international oil companies (IOCs) such as NNPCL, as well as indigenous companies, must take responsibility in ensuring that oil assets are protected and maintained.
Ahmed reaffirmed NMDPRA’s commitment to transparency and accountability in the midstream and downstream sectors.