The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has reported that Nigeria imported a total of 20.30 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, in 2023. This data was released in the Bureau’s Petroleum Products Distribution Statistics report, published in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to the report, the 2023 import figure reflects a 13.77 percent decrease compared to the 23.54 billion litres imported in 2022. In addition to petrol, the report indicated that 4.94 billion litres of Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) were imported during the same period, marking a notable 23.66 percent increase from the 4.00 billion litres imported in 2022.
The NBS further highlighted that the total volume of PMS trucked out in 2023 reached 20.22 billion litres, representing a 16.96 percent decline from the 24.35 billion litres recorded in 2022. On a positive note, local production of Household Kerosene saw a significant increase, with 69.71 million litres produced in 2023, compared to 44.68 million litres in 2022. This growth represents a remarkable 56.02 percent rise over the previous year.
In terms of diesel, the report noted that local production amounted to 109.39 million litres in 2023, which is a 6.76 percent increase compared to the 102.47 million litres produced in 2022. Overall, these figures reflect shifts in both import and production trends within Nigeria’s petroleum sector.