Dangote Refinery and other local refiners got between 36 and 46 percent of Nigeria's domestic crude in early 2026. The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission released this information on Tuesday through its quarterly supply report.
Local refineries were allocated 61.9 million barrels for the first quarter. They actually received 28.5 million barrels during that period.
January saw domestic refiners get 22.6 million barrels of crude. The following month brought a different picture entirely.
In February, NUPRC allocated 20.5 million barrels to local refiners. Producers delivered only 19.8 million barrels, falling short by 700,000 barrels.
March showed signs of improvement. Deliveries climbed to 10.1 million barrels compared to the prior two months.
Pricing differences between producers and refiners created the main problem. Crude suppliers and local refineries couldn't agree on acceptable rates.
Current arrangements follow a "willing buyer, willing seller" framework. This approach leaves transactions largely to market forces rather than mandates.
NUPRC insisted it remains committed to Nigeria's energy independence goals. The regulator said these challenges won't derail government objectives, according to its statement released Tuesday through spokesperson Eniola Akinkuotu.
