Abuja, July 28, 2025 — President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to expand the scope of the Federal Government’s ‘Nigeria First’ policy by including refined petroleum products in the list of banned import items.
Dangote made the appeal during a high-level economic dialogue in Abuja, stressing that allowing continued importation of refined petroleum undermines local production capacity and Nigeria’s economic self-reliance. He noted that with the recent operational scale-up of the multi-billion-dollar Dangote Refinery, Nigeria now possesses the infrastructure to meet its domestic fuel demands.
“Our refinery has the capacity to supply all of Nigeria’s refined petroleum needs and even serve neighbouring countries. Continuing to import what we can produce locally is not only wasteful but counterproductive to the spirit of economic nationalism,” Dangote stated.
He urged the Federal Government to enforce a firm policy shift that would prioritize domestically produced goods, especially refined fuel, to protect local investments, conserve foreign exchange, and create jobs.
The call aligns with the broader goals of the ‘Nigeria First’ initiative, which promotes local sourcing and production across key sectors to strengthen the nation’s economy. Industry stakeholders and economic analysts have begun weighing in on the implications of such a move, particularly in relation to market competition, fuel pricing, and regional trade dynamics.
While the presidency has not issued an official response, sources within the Ministry of Petroleum Resources confirmed that discussions are ongoing regarding the feasibility of gradually phasing out refined fuel imports as the Dangote Refinery ramps up full operations.