The Yoruba Council Worldwide (YCW) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to increase the tax on imported fuel from the current 15 percent to as high as 200 percent, arguing that such a move is crucial to safeguarding Nigeria’s local refining industry, particularly the Dangote Refinery.
Speaking to journalists at the Ooni’s Palace Press Corps Unit in Ile-Ife on Monday, YCW President, Oladokun Hassan, said the federal government must act decisively to protect domestic refineries from economic sabotage and unfair competition.
According to Hassan, the continued importation of petroleum products undermines the nation’s industrial self-reliance and exposes local investors to severe risks. He warned against any attempt by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) or other industry unions to disrupt operations at the newly established 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Refinery.
“We advocate for higher trade tariffs from the current 15% to as high as 200% or a complete ban on imported petroleum products,” he said. “This is in line with protectionist policies used in the United States and other advanced economies to safeguard their domestic industries.”
While commending President Tinubu for the Renewed Hope Agenda and his Nigeria-First economic policy, the YCW president cautioned that the ongoing issuance of import licenses through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) violates Section 317 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
He described such licensing practices as “a grave threat to national energy security” and accused certain interest groups of working to frustrate local production efforts.
Hassan alleged that the Dangote Refinery has survived over 20 sabotage attempts involving corrupt refinery workers and external collaborators determined to cripple the project.
“In light of these disturbing developments, we urge President Tinubu to order a comprehensive forensic investigation into the activities and finances of those unions, oil multinationals, and their collaborators,” he stated. “The probe should focus on uncovering acts of sabotage, financial improprieties, and regulatory collusion.”
He reiterated the Council’s confidence in President Tinubu’s economic agenda but stressed that Nigeria must adopt strong protectionist measures to ensure the sustainability of its energy independence and industrial revival.
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