Dangote Urges Tinubu to Ban Fuel Imports Under ‘Nigeria First’ Policy, Sparks Fresh Monopoly Allegations, Pushback from Marketers, Experts

Aliko Dangote, president of Dangote Group, calls on President Bola Tinubu to include refined oil products in the list of articles prohibited as part of the “Nigeria First” policy of the federal government.

Dangote made the request last week while addressing industry stakeholders at the Global Community Insights Conference on West African Raffined Fuel Markets, organized by Nigerian Midstream and downstream Authority for Petroleum Regulatory (NMDPRA) in partnership with S&P Global Insights.

Speaking at the conference, Dangote urged the Tinubu administration to apply the “Nigeria First” policy – originally from public institutions for the importation of goods or services that can be obtained locally – in the oil sector. He insisted on the fact that the continuous import of petrol, diesel and other refined products in Nigeria discourages local refining and distances critical investment.

“The Nigeria Premier policy announced by His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, should apply to the petroleum product sector and all other sectors,” said Dangote.

He argued that national refiners, including his $ 20 billion refinery in Lagos, are underway by cheap, often toxic fuel spill on the Nigerian market. According to him, some of these imported fuels would never be authorized in Europe or North America because of their lower nature.

“We are now faced with an increased discharge of cheap oil products, often toxic … some of which are mixed with lower quality levels,” he said. “Due to price ceilings on Russian petroleum products, products at reduced prices produced in Russia or with a Russian crude at reduced prices, find their way to Africa, seriously undervalifying our local production.”

Dangote went further to assert that Nigeria has already become a net exporer exporter, revealing that between June and July 2025, his refinery exported approximately 1.35 billion liters of petrol.

Monopolistic concerns are surfaced

But the demand has triggered an immediate backlash of marketing specialists, energy experts and public sections, who accuse the billionaire of seeking to monopolize the petroleum sector, echoing similar accusations against him in the cement industry.

Despite its assertion that the ban would protect local investments, many believe that the proposal starts again from monopolistic ambition. The demand has relaunched long -standing concerns that Dangote is again trying to control a critical sector of the Nigeria economy, just as he would have done in the cement industry, where his business dominated the market share for years in the midst of allegations of regulatory capture and market manipulation.

“No, we cannot have a ban on petroleum imports. It is not a legal ban. It would not be acceptable because we have no various sources of petroleum products. We cannot count solely on Dangote refineries. This would give a monopoly to a private individual,” said an energy expert at the University of Lagos, Professor Dayo Ayoade, said monopolistic.

Many Nigerians, including petroleum marketing specialists, have expressed their concern regarding that such a decision strengthens the domination of Dangote to the detriment of competition and well-being of consumers.

It is also to be feared that the ban on the importation of petroleum products contradicts the deregulation framework registered in the oil industry law (PIA), which imposes a liberalized downstream sector where marketing specialists are free to stock up and sell products without price control or import restrictions.

Marketing specialists and experts grow back

In this context, independent marketing specialists and downstream operators who spoke to punch quickly rejected Dangote’s proposal, reiterating that he would kill competition, would increase fuel prices and destabilize the sector.

“We, independent marketing specialists, will move away from this request. If the government does it, it means that we will not be able to check inflation and monopoly, because it is the only refinery operating in the country now. We must continue to import even if we buy locally, “said Chinedu Ukadike, an advertising secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).

“I have heard that the NMDPRA has clearly said that Dangote cannot produce all the fuel that the country needs. We will appreciate it if the country allows the import to continue because we do not pay a subsidy,” he added.

Ukadike also rejected Dangote’s assertion that imports would kill local businesses and refineries. He noted that although the country no longer pays fuel grants, the import authorization guarantees the discovery of prices and market checks.

“Import will not kill local businesses or refineries; this will strengthen them. This will guarantee local refineries intensify their game. I do not agree with Dangote on this subject,” he said.

Billy Gillis-Harry, national president of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (Petroan), also opposed the idea.

“I do not agree with Dangote. We direct a free economy. There is no reason why one company has a global value on the whole industry,” he said.

He added that if the import of products available locally such as toothpicks or foods could be prohibited, refined oil products should remain open to market forces to ensure stability.

Disregarding protectionism

The “Nigeria First” policy of President Tinubu, which restricts the public procurement markets of goods and services already available in Nigeria, is considered a protectionist decision to stimulate national industries. But experts argue that applying it to the oil sector – in particular in a country that has just left fuel grants and has promulgated deregulation laws – would be illegal and economically self -defective.

The oil industry law (PIA), adopted in 2021, legally supports the deregulation of the sector downstream and emphasizes market -oriented prices. A prohibition on fuel imports contradicts both the letter and the spirit of the PIA, potentially triggering the theft of investors.

Although Dangote’s monopoly concerns have been widely criticized, his call to regulators to revoke inactive refinery licenses has received support.

“On this side, I agree with him,” said Ukadike. “You cannot get a refinery license and use it to decorate your home. The nation needs more refineries to export more. ”

Dangote, for his part, insists that his refinery has the capacity to meet the needs and products of Nigeria for export. He recently declared that the installation, currently operating at 650,000 barrels per day (BPD), will increase up to 700,000 BPD by December.

He explained that his request was not to monopolize the sector but to produce local investments. The richest man in Africa noted that those who have the resources necessary to invest in Nigeria continue to take their resources outside the country while they criticize local investors.

“Let me seize this opportunity to respond to concerns about monopoly and domination. The reality is that too many people who have the means and the opportunity to contribute significantly to the growth of our nation rather choose to criticize the sidelines while investing their wealth abroad,” said Dangote.

His request to prohibit fuel imports comes only a few days after having resigned as president of Dangote Cement PLC to focus more on his refinery of $ 20 billion and his support activities in petrochemical, fertilizer and energy.

However, industry players say that if more refineries do not occur and market conditions are released, any attempt to closure of fuel import will not be considered not as patriotic but as a daring room for market control.