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From Adewale Sanyaolu, Houston, Texas
Nigeria’s assertion of progress towards energy self-sufficiency has come under fresh scrutiny, as the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Mr Heineken Lokpobiri, confirmed that the country still relies on imported petroleum products—directly contradicting claims that domestic refining can fully meet local demand.
Speaking on the state of the downstream sector at the CERAWeek by S&P Global Conference in Houston, Texas, Lokpobiri acknowledged that while local refining capacity has improved significantly, it remains insufficient to fully cover national consumption.
The minister’s position clarifies the current state of supply, despite rising expectations around increased local refining capacity.
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The minister noted that Nigeria is making measurable progress, with domestic refining contributing a growing share of supply.
However, he stressed that imports remain a critical component of the country’s fuel supply mix for now.
“We are not yet at a point where local production alone can satisfy total consumption,” he said, underscoring the need to sustain imports while capacity continues to build.
