Oil Refinery Throughput โ - Oil Refinery Throughput refers to the actual volume of crude oil and other refinery feedstocks processed by petroleum refineries during a given period. It is typically measured in thousand barrels per day (kb/d) and represents the operational output of the refining sector rather than its installed capacity. This indicator reflects the extent to which refinery infrastructure is utilized to convert crude oil into refined petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, kerosene, fuel oil, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and other petroleum products. Oil Refinery Throughput is widely used to assess refinery operations, downstream petroleum activity, fuel production levels, and the efficiency of refinery utilization.
It serves as an important indicator of refinery utilization, fuel production, industrial efficiency, energy security, and Nigeria's ability to supply domestic petroleum product demand.
Nigeria recorded oil refinery throughput of 22 thousand barrels daily in 2015, increasing to 62 thousand barrels daily in 2016 and 81 thousand barrels daily in 2017. Throughput declined sharply to 35 thousand barrels daily in 2018 and further to 7 thousand barrels daily in 2019. In 2020, refinery throughput fell to zero, reflecting prolonged refinery shutdowns and operational constraints. Processing resumed at 3 thousand barrels daily in 2021, increased to 6 thousand barrels daily in 2022, and recovered to 18 thousand barrels daily in 2023, indicating gradual improvement in domestic refining activity.
Overall, the dataset demonstrates a significant long-term decline in refinery throughput, followed by a modest recovery during the final years of the review period. The trend reflects persistent operational challenges, aging refinery infrastructure, and ongoing efforts to restore domestic refining capacity.
The dataset is valuable for evaluating Nigeria's refinery throughput trends, analyzing downstream industry performance, and assessing crude oil processing activity. It supports refinery utilization analysis, investment planning, energy security assessments, and policy evaluation while providing valuable insights for researchers, analysts, industry stakeholders, and policymakers studying refinery efficiency, infrastructure modernization, and the future development of Nigeria's petroleum refining industry.