The Dangote Group has moved to calm growing public concerns over fuel costs, assuring Nigerians that the recently approved 15 percent import tariff on petrol and diesel will not lead to an increase in pump prices. This reassurance comes at a critical time when many households are already battling rising inflation and economic uncertainty.
Speaking during an interview with Arise News on Sunday, the company’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Mr. Anthony Chiejina, described the fear of a fuel price hike as unnecessary and misplaced. He explained that the new import duty was introduced not as a means to raise the cost of fuel, but to discourage the persistent dumping of imported petroleum products in the country and to encourage more reliance on locally refined fuel.
Chiejina emphasized that fuel prices from the Dangote Group will remain stable at least until the end of the year. He noted that the tariff was established to support Nigeria’s industrial advancement by enabling local refineries to grow, create more employment opportunities, and generate additional tax revenue for the government. According to him, no nation that seeks economic development allows its domestic industries to be undermined by cheap foreign imports, and Nigeria must adopt measures that safeguard its future.
His comments were also a direct response to criticisms from Delta APC chieftain, Chief Ayiri Emami, who claimed that the new tariff would deepen the suffering of ordinary citizens and punish the masses rather than marketers. Chiejina dismissed such arguments, stating that preventing fuel dumping ultimately protects Nigerian jobs, strengthens local businesses, and helps the country rebuild a functional and self-sustaining energy sector.
Meanwhile, the Presidency confirmed on Friday that President Bola Tinubu approved the 15 percent import tariff as a deliberate economic strategy to boost the nation’s refining capacity and curb long-term dependence on imported fuel. The statement highlighted that despite Nigeria’s status as a major crude oil producer, the country has spent years draining foreign exchange and exporting jobs by relying on imported petroleum products, a trend the new policy aims to reverse.
With the government backing this shift toward energy independence and the Dangote Group promising price stability, Nigerians are now watching closely to see how the policy unfolds in real-time. If the promises are fulfilled, the country could witness the beginning of a new era where its own oil wealth translates more directly into local economic growth, job creation, and a more reliable fuel market for millions of citizens.