Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the President of the Dangote Group, has requested that President Bola Tinubu include refined petroleum products in the list of items banned under the ‘Nigeria First’ policy of the Federal Government. The policy seeks to ban government agencies from importing goods that can be produced within Nigeria. In May, Tinubu barred government agencies from importing goods or services that are available locally. The policy stated that no procurement of foreign goods or services already available in Nigeria shall proceed without justification and a Bureau of Public Procurement waiver.
Dangote requested in clear terms that petrol, diesel, and other refined petroleum products be added to the items banned by the policy. He argued that the importation of fuel into Nigeria is killing local refining and discouraging further investments in the sector and even the economy. To remain viable, Dangote urged governments across Africa to take deliberate steps as the United States, Canada, and the European Union have done to protect domestic producers from unfair competition.
Dangote did not mince words when he said that the Nigeria First policy announced by His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, should apply to the petroleum products sector. This request by Dangote seeks to place a ban on the importation of petrol, diesel, and other products being produced locally. He argued that local refiners were finding it difficult to sell their products because of what he called dumping. The billionaire businessman alleged that importers were dumping toxic fuel that would never be allowed in Europe.
Dangote mentioned that some of the importers bring into Nigeria fuel or crude oil subsidised in Russia. This, he said, affects local pricing, forcing refiners to drop prices below their costs. Due to the price caps on the Russian petroleum products, discounted petroleum products produced in Russia or with discounted Russian crude find their way to Africa, severely undercutting local production, which is based on full crude pricing. This has created an unlevel playing field in most African countries. Petrol and diesel are sold for about a dollar net of taxes.
To prove that his $20bn refinery can satisfy local fuel needs, Dangote disclosed that Nigeria has become a net exporter of petroleum products, having exported approximately 1.35 billion litres of petrol to other countries worldwide in 50 days. Between June and July 2025, the refinery exported up to 1 million tonnes of petrol, which is approximately 1.35 billion litres when converted.
Marketers disagreed with Dangote, urging the Federal Government not to consider adding petroleum products to the list of items banned from importation. Independent marketers would not support that idea as it would spell doom for the sector. They will depart from that request. If the government does that, they will not be able to check inflation and monopoly, since it is the only refinery operating in the country now.
The National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria, Billy Gillis-Harry, kicked against the call to ban fuel importation. He said no one company should be allowed to dominate the downstream sector in a free economy. While admitting that there is a need to ban the importation of some goods, he said these should not include fuel, stressing that Nigeria needs multiple sources of energy.
