Business mogul Alhaji Aliko Dangote has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to expand the scope of the Federal Government’s ‘Nigeria First’ policy by including refined petroleum products such as petrol and diesel among the items restricted from importation.
The ‘Nigeria First’ initiative, introduced earlier this year, seeks to halt the importation of goods and services by government institutions if such items are already produced or available locally. Under the policy, any government agency wishing to procure foreign alternatives must first secure a waiver and provide valid justification through the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).
Speaking at the West African Refined Fuel Markets Conference — jointly hosted by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and S&P Global Insights — Dangote stressed that the petroleum sector must not be left out of this protectionist approach.
“The ‘Nigeria First’ policy announced by President Tinubu should not exclude petroleum products,” Dangote said. “Our market is being flooded with cheap and often harmful refined products, some of which would never meet safety or quality standards in Europe or North America.”
He further explained that discounted petroleum products linked to Russia — a result of international price caps — are making their way into African markets at extremely low prices. These imports, Dangote argued, are undermining Nigeria’s domestic refining efforts, as local producers rely on full-priced crude oil.
“In Nigeria, these imported fuels are sold at prices as low as 60 cents per litre — cheaper than in oil-rich countries like Saudi Arabia. This is creating an unfair playing field,” he added. “To safeguard our industries, African governments must emulate the protective measures taken by nations like the U.S., Canada, and the EU.”
However, Dangote’s proposal has sparked debate among petroleum marketers, many of whom are cautioning the government against taking such a step. They warn that banning fuel imports could lead to supply shortages and increased costs if local production fails to meet national demand.
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