Nigeria Ought to Not Be Importing Gasoline, We Have the Capability to Meet Native Demand — Dangote 

… seeks legislative backing for Nigeria First Coverage

President/Chief Government, Dangote Industries Restricted, Aliko Dangote, has criticised the crude provide practices of worldwide oil corporations, insisting that Nigeria has no justification for importing crude or refined petroleum merchandise if current legal guidelines are correctly enforced.

Talking throughout a go to by the South South Growth Fee (SSDC) to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Fertiliser Advanced in Lagos, Dangote mentioned the Petroleum Business Act (PIA) already establishes a framework that prioritises home crude provide. Nonetheless, he famous that operators proceed to take advantage of loopholes that undermine the intent of the regulation.

Dangote said that a number of oil corporations routinely divert Nigerian crude to their buying and selling subsidiaries overseas, significantly in Switzerland, forcing home refineries to purchase from these offshore entities at a premium of 4 to 5 {dollars} per barrel.

“The crude is accessible. It’s not a matter of scarcity. However the corporations transfer all the pieces to their buying and selling arms, and we’re pressured to purchase at a premium. In the meantime, we don’t obtain any premium for our personal merchandise,” he mentioned.

He disclosed that he has formally written to the Federal Authorities, urging it to cost royalties and taxes based mostly on the precise worth paid for crude, to forestall income losses and to discourage practices that drawback native refiners.

Dangote mentioned NNPC stays the first provider honouring home provide obligations, offering 5 to 6 cargoes month-to-month. Nonetheless, the refinery requires as many as twenty cargoes per thirty days from January to function optimally.

Describing the state of affairs as “unsustainable for a rustic intent on real industrial progress,” Dangote argued that Africa’s financial future relies on worth addition moderately than perpetual uncooked materials export.

“It’s shameful that whereas we exported one level 5 million tonnes of gasoline in June and July, imported merchandise have been flooding the nation. That’s dumping,” he mentioned.

On report by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), that the refinery provided solely 17.08 million litres of the 56.74 million litres consumed in October 2025, Dangote mentioned that the refinery exports its merchandise if regulators proceed to allow dumping by entrepreneurs.

Dangote pledged that it will provide 50 million litres of petrol every day throughout the Yuletide interval, with a complete of 1.5 billion litres deliberate for December 2025 and one other 1.5 billion litres for January 2026.

He recommended President Bola Tinubu’s Nigeria First Coverage however confused the necessity for legislative backing to make the coverage more practical. He mentioned the president is dedicated to positioning Nigeria as a frontrunner in Africa’s transition from uncooked materials export to value-added manufacturing, job creation and sustainable financial enlargement.

Dangote additional defined that the corporate’s enlargement technique displays Africa’s fast-growing demand for petroleum merchandise, estimated at round 4 million barrels per day, whereas regional refining capability lags at beneath one and a half million barrels.

Addressing Nigeria’s ambition to attain a one trillion-dollar economic system, Dangote mentioned the goal is attainable via disciplined coverage execution, improved energy technology and a revival of the metal sector.

“You can not construct an ideal nation with out energy and metal. Each bolt and nut used right here was imported. That shouldn’t be the case. Nigeria must be supplying metal to smaller African nations,” he mentioned.

He additionally underscored alternatives for partnership with the SSDC in agriculture, significantly in soil testing and customised fertiliser formulation, noting that misuse of fertiliser stays a serious cause Nigerian farmers expertise restricted productiveness positive aspects.

“We’re organising superior soil testing laboratories. From subsequent yr, we need to work with the SSDC to empower farmers by offering correct soil assessments and customised fertiliser blends,” Dangote mentioned.

He added that regardless of the worldwide push for electrical autos, Africa will proceed to rely closely on petroleum merchandise as a result of restricted energy entry and affordability challenges.

“Folks speak about electrical autos, however 600 million Africans should not have energy for his or her fridge. Oil stays important as a result of over six thousand merchandise come from it,” he mentioned.

Dangote reaffirmed the refinery’s dedication to supporting nationwide financial progress, strengthening native trade and guaranteeing Nigeria turns into a internet exporter of refined merchandise and petrochemicals.