Fuel price clash intensifies as Dangote blasts NMDPRA
Aliko Dangote, president of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), has alleged that Nigeria’s downstream petroleum regulator is weakening local refining by approving large-scale fuel imports, including shipments sourced from Russia.
Dangote made the claims on Sunday during a media engagement at the Dangote Refinery, where he questioned the operations of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and accused its leadership of corruption and regulatory bias.
According to the billionaire industrialist, the continued approval of petroleum import licences benefits foreign traders and fuel importers while discouraging domestic refining. He specifically accused the authority, led by its chief executive officer Farouk Ahmed, of working against Nigeria’s economic interests.
Dangote said his refinery has made efforts to stabilise fuel prices, but alleged that certain actors remain determined to keep Nigeria dependent on imports. He claimed that licences have been granted for the importation of approximately 7.5 billion litres of premium motor spirit (PMS) for the first quarter of 2026, despite assurances that domestic supply would be sufficient.
He further stated that petroleum products imported from Russia are sold at significant discounts, estimated at $20 to $25 per tonne while Nigerian crude attracts a premium of about $2 to $3. According to him, this pricing imbalance places local refiners at a disadvantage and ultimately harms Nigerian consumers.
Dangote warned that the policy environment is already putting severe pressure on modular refineries, many of which are struggling to survive. He argued that the continued issuance of import permits could lead to the collapse of the local downstream sector.
He also noted that major international oil companies have exited Nigeria’s downstream market, leaving limited participation in refining and distribution. In his view, entrenched interests within the oil industry continue to profit from fuel imports at the expense of national development.
Dangote described the scale of fuel imports as unethical, adding that it undermines efforts to promote value addition within Africa. He cautioned that without policy changes, further investment in domestic refining would be discouraged.
“We have already built our own,” he said, adding that others would be unable to invest in refining if the current approach persists.
