Nigeria TV Info Report

Petrol Consumption Falls 28% Nationwide as Nigerians Adjust to Post-Subsidy Era

Nigeria’s petrol consumption has dropped by 28 per cent in the last two years, leaving pump attendants across filling stations with fewer vehicles to service.

Latest data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) reveal that the daily volume of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly called petrol, fell from 68.353 million litres in June 2023, when the fuel subsidy was removed, to 49.277 million litres in June 2025.

The sharp decline followed President Bola Tinubu’s declaration during his May 29, 2023, inauguration that “subsidy is gone,” effectively ending decades of government intervention that had cost the treasury tens of trillions of naira.

Immediately after the announcement, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited adjusted the pump price from N195 per litre to N448 in Lagos and from N197 to N557 in Abuja. Less than a month later, the price rose again to N617 per litre.

Since then, the entry of the Dangote Refinery into the supply chain and fluctuating market dynamics have seen marketers adjust prices multiple times, in some cases on a weekly basis.

Analysts note that while reduced consumption may signal more efficient use of petrol and increased adoption of alternatives, it also reflects the growing economic burden on households and businesses struggling to cope with higher energy costs.