Lagos, Ogun, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have emerged as the highest consumers of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, according to the latest data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The June 2025 NMDPRA truckout report shows that Nigeria distributed a total of 1.44 billion litres of petrol across all states, highlighting stark regional disparities influenced by population density, economic activity, and industrial concentration.
Lagos alone accounted for 205.7 million litres, reflecting its status as the country’s commercial and transport hub.
Ogun, with its growing industrial belt and proximity to Lagos, consumed 88.7 million litres, while the FCT recorded 77.5 million litres, making these three regions the highest consumers nationwide.
Other states in the South-West zone also showed high demand.
Oyo received 72.8 million litres, Osun 35.48 million litres, Ondo 35.05 million litres, and Ekiti 15.26 million litres, bringing the South-West total to 452.95 million litres, nearly a third of the national supply.
In contrast, the South-East recorded the lowest regional consumption at 132.7 million litres, with Anambra leading the zone at 40.5 million litres, followed by Imo (30.6 million litres), Enugu (27.4 million litres), Abia (23.7 million litres), and Ebonyi (10.5 million litres).
This trend reflects the zone’s smaller industrial base and lower vehicle density.
The North-Central zone consumed 247.4 million litres, with the FCT leading, followed by Niger (40.7 million litres), Kwara (34.8 million litres), Benue (25.7 million litres), Nasarawa (25.1 million litres), Kogi (24.1 million litres), and Plateau (19.4 million litres).
Meanwhile, the North-West used 230 million litres, led by Kano (68.22 million litres) and Kaduna (43.13 million litres).
The South-South, home to key oil-producing states, consumed 224.9 million litres, with Delta topping the list at 68.5 million litres.
Rivers and Edo followed at 44.6 million litres and 43.1 million litres, respectively, while Bayelsa registered one of the lowest allocations nationally (11.9 million litres).
The North-East accounted for 152.8 million litres, led by Adamawa (56.9 million litres), Bauchi (31 million litres), Gombe (19.2 million litres), Borno (18.9 million litres), Taraba (15.1 million litres), and Yobe (11.7 million litres).
NMDPRA’s Director of Public Affairs, George Ene-Ita, noted that daily petrol distribution averaged 48 million litres in June.
However, the report also indicated a 16.4% drop in supply compared to May, reflecting a decline from 1.77 billion litres to 1.44 billion litres, raising concerns about consistent supply to high-demand states.
The data underscores a clear pattern: urban and industrial hubs consume disproportionately more petrol, while less populated or rural regions such as Jigawa, Ebonyi, Yobe, and Bayelsa have significantly lower consumption.
Experts say this trend mirrors Nigeria’s economic geography, with fuel demand tightly linked to commercial activity, transport networks, and industrial operations.
Analysts suggest that maintaining consistent PMS supply to Lagos, Ogun, and FCT is critical to preventing fuel shortages that could disrupt transport, logistics, and trade in these economic epicentres.
Meanwhile, lower consumption in other regions highlights potential areas for expanding industrial activity and transport infrastructure to balance fuel demand nationally.
As Nigeria continues its efforts to streamline the downstream petroleum sector, the report emphasizes the need for data-driven distribution planning, ensuring both high-demand and underserved regions receive adequate supply.