Economy
Tinubu To Halt Petrol Imports, Focus On Local Refining: Energy Expert
Tinubu To Halt Petrol Imports, Focus On Local Refining: Energy Expert
Tinubu to halt petrol imports, focus on local refining. Energy expert Dan Kunle has criticized the continued importation of petrol and diesel by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited and certain marketers, despite the Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s capacity to meet domestic demand. He described the practice as detrimental to Nigeria’s economic progress.
Recent reports reveal that NNPC and oil marketers spent ₦5.5 trillion on fuel imports within four months.
Speaking on Television on Sunday, Kunle likened the current wave of fuel importation to the infamous ‘cement Armada’ of the 1970s, when an oversupply of cement ships caused severe congestion at Nigeria’s ports.
He expressed disappointment that despite President Bola Tinubu’s directive and the Federal Executive Council’s (FEC) decision to allocate local crude to domestic refineries, government agencies have failed to comply without facing consequences.
“I expected a smooth transition after the FEC’s decision in October 2024 to prioritize local crude supply for domestic refineries, particularly Dangote Refinery, which has the technical capacity to refine large volumes. Yet, we continue to see large-scale fuel imports, raising concerns about whether this is an attempt to flood the market with substandard fuel and undermine Dangote Refinery,” Kunle stated.
He emphasized that with Dangote Refinery already refining 550,000 barrels per day and producing high-quality petroleum products, continued fuel importation is unnecessary. He urged President Tinubu to take decisive action to end what he described as an importation “racket.”
Kunle argued that it makes no economic sense to prioritize fuel imports when other nations, like the United States, are protecting their domestic industries to strengthen their economies. He called on Tinubu to demand a clear transition timeline for Nigeria to shift from an importer of refined petroleum products to a self-sufficient producer and exporter.
“The Dangote Refinery is a national strategic asset. The government must intervene and remove all obstacles hindering its operations. Rather than legal battles, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) should be tasked with presenting a clear roadmap to end fuel imports. If the government remains passive, it will harm Nigeria’s economy and discourage future investments,” Kunle warned.
Tinubu
With Dangote Refinery operational and the reported revival of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, Kunle stressed that Nigeria should be moving towards becoming a net exporter of refined petroleum products rather than continuing to rely on costly imports.
NNPC Ltd. HSE Chief Sets Tone For Industry-Wide Safety Standards
NNPC Ltd.’s Chief Health, Safety and Environment Officer, Tonye Alagba, has urged Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) personnel across the company to strengthen collaboration and build a unified HSE team.
Alagba, who made the call at the recent First Quarter 2026 HSE Council Meeting held in Abuja from 15th to 17th April, 2026, called for collective responsibility, strict compliance, and proactive prevention of HSE violations across all business units.
NNPC
NNPC Ltd. values strict HSE adherence across all its businesses and operations. The HSE Council Meeting signals the company’s broader intent to raise the bar for safety culture across Nigeria’s energy sector.
NNPC, SNEPCo, NCDMB Donate Geosciences Centre To UNILAG
NNPC Limited, in partnership with Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo), the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), and the University of Lagos (UNILAG), commissioned and donated the newly built UNILAG Geosciences Centre of Excellence to the University on Friday.
Purposely built to strengthen geosciences education and research in Nigeria, the Centre was inaugurated by the Chief Upstream Investment Officer of NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services Ltd. (NUIMS), Olanrewaju Igandan, alongside the Managing Director of SNEPCo, Ronald Adams; Director of Capacity Building (NCDMB), Abayomi Bamidele; Lagos State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Tolani Sule; and the Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, Professor Folasade Ogunsola.
The Centre boasts of a 250-seat auditorium, geoscience and instrumentation laboratories, a rock preparation workshop, hydrogeology, mineralogy, environmental geology, sedimentary and palaeoenvironmental sciences laboratories, a seismic interpretation room, a modern library, a digital museum, and collaborative spaces for students and researchers. It is also supported by a 600 kVA transformer, a 40 kVA solar power facility, and a field investigation coaster bus.
SNEPCo, NNPC
By connecting academia, industry, and government under one roof, the Centre provides Nigerian students and researchers with hands-on access to modern energy tools, reduces the oil and gas industry’s reliance on international markets for testing and training, and builds the in-country expertise Nigeria’s energy sector needs.
NNPC Limited remains committed to driving capacity building, supporting national development, and working with partners to secure a stronger energy future for Nigeria.
NNPC: Ministers Chart Course Gor West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP)
The Committee of Ministers for the West African Gas Pipeline Project met in Abuja on Friday, reaffirming its central role in West Africa’s regional energy agenda.
The meeting brought together ministers and high-level representatives from Nigeria, Benin, Togo, and Ghana, alongside officials from ECOWAS, the West African Gas Pipeline Authority (WAGPA) and West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo).
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, who opened the meeting, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the long-term sustainability and expansion of the pipeline, adding that since its inception, the WAGP has transported over 613 million MMBtu of natural gas, with Nigeria accounting for more than 68 per cent of total volumes supplied to Benin, Togo, and Ghana.
NNPC
On his part, NNPC Limited’s Executive Vice President, Gas, Power & New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye, emphasised the company’s active stewardship of Nigeria’s gas export commitments and its broader role in shaping regional energy cooperation across West Africa.
With gas throughput reaching approximately 80 million MMBtu in 2025, a 22 per cent rise on prior years, and discussions advancing on expanding pipeline capacity utilisation by 45 per cent in 2026, NNPC Limited remains at the centre of efforts to grow a credible, commercially viable regional gas market.
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