Tinubu’s Government Justifies 15% Fuel Import Duty as Step Toward Energy Independence

The Presidency has defended the newly introduced 15 percent import duty on petrol and diesel, describing it as “a bridge, not a burden.”

President Bola Tinubu approved the policy in a letter dated October 21, 2025, after a request from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to apply the duty to the cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) value of imported petroleum products. The government said the measure was designed to align import costs with Nigeria’s domestic economic realities and promote sustainability within the energy sector.

Although the implementation of the duty could reportedly increase the pump price of petrol by about ₦99.72 per litre, the Presidency insists the move is a necessary step toward strengthening local refining capacity.

Reacting to public concerns on Friday, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, described the decision as a “bold and strategic reform” intended to transform the oil industry and reduce the nation’s dependence on imported fuel.

According to him, Nigeria has long suffered economic losses due to its heavy reliance on imported refined products despite being a major crude oil producer. He said the new policy would help reverse that trend by encouraging local refining, boosting domestic capacity, and ensuring that the nation’s oil wealth directly benefits its citizens.

Dare added that by making imported fuel less competitive, the policy would give local refineries such as the Dangote Refinery and modular plants a stronger market advantage. This, he noted, would ultimately help build a self-sustaining energy sector capable of creating jobs, attracting investment, and driving industrial growth.

He concluded that the 15 percent import duty should be seen as “a bridge from dependence to independence, from vulnerability to strength.”

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