Fuel Import Tariff Meant to Boost Local Refining Sparks Outcry

***APC chieftain Ayiri Emami warns 15% duty could worsen hardship for Nigerians

The Federal Government’s new 15 percent ad-valorem import duty on petrol and diesel—approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu—has drawn sharp criticism, even from within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), which secured the approval, said the move was part of broader fiscal reforms aimed at protecting domestic refineries, encouraging crude transactions in local currency, and promoting a stable downstream market.
According to the FIRS Chairman, Zacch Adedeji, the tariff will ensure that duty-free fuel imports do not undercut local refining efforts, while fostering a fair, competitive market for petroleum products.
But in a swift reaction, APC stalwart and oil magnate Chief Ayiri Emami warned that the decision could have devastating effects on ordinary Nigerians, especially those already struggling with the ripple effects of subsidy removal and inflation.
“Anyone advising Mr. President to impose a 15 percent tax on petroleum right now is not helping him,” Emami told journalists in Abuja.
“This policy won’t hurt marketers—it will hurt ordinary Nigerians. Whatever tax you place on fuel goes straight back to the people on the streets. Nigerians are already hungry and struggling.”
The Delta-born businessman, who chairs the A & E Group with interests in oil and gas, construction, and haulage, said communities in the Niger Delta would be hit hardest.
“In the riverine areas, fuel determines whether we can even go fishing. It’s not that fish have disappeared — it’s that we can’t afford to reach them. That’s how bad it is,” he lamented.
While acknowledging the government’s need for funds to sustain reforms, Emami urged President Tinubu to suspend the tariff until citizens experience tangible relief.
“Yes, government needs money, but there are better areas to explore. After subsidy removal, people haven’t felt any improvement. Why add another burden?” he asked.
“Some people close to the President just want to create more problems for him. They don’t care what Nigerians are facing.”
Analysts warn that the policy could further push up transportation and commodity prices, aggravating hardship and fuelling discontent. Others, however, say the measure, if properly implemented alongside incentives for local refineries, could fast-track Nigeria’s journey toward energy independence.
As the debate continues, the 15 percent fuel import duty has become the latest test of the Tinubu administration’s resolve to balance economic reform with social sensitivity.