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The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) and over 75 civil society organisations under the Coalition of National Civil Society Organisations (CNCSOs) have declared that the ongoing rift between the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Dangote Refinery has exposed what they described as “the fundamental weakness and compromise of National Assembly oversight in Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum sectors.”

In a joint press statement issued on December 25, 2025, and jointly signed by Comrade James Ezema, Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the CNPP, and Alhaji Ali Abacha, National Secretary of the CNCSOs, the organisations stated unequivocally that the dispute goes far beyond a regulatory disagreement. According to them, it is “a symptom of years of selective oversight, policy inconsistency and silent accommodation of vested import interests, which have collectively undermined fuel quality, consumer protection and Nigeria’s quest for energy self-reliance.”

The CNPP and CNCSOs expressed concern that despite repeated legislative interventions, the National Assembly has failed to correct structural flaws in the petroleum downstream sector. They noted that “for years, the National Assembly has conducted hearings and investigations into fuel scarcity, pricing and regulation,” yet these efforts “have failed to dismantle a system that favours the continued importation of refined petroleum products, particularly automotive and heavy-duty fuels, many of which do not meet acceptable sulphur limits.”

The statement lamented that there has been “no sustained legislative push to end the importation of substandard fuels, despite clear evidence of the damage such products cause to vehicles, engines and emissions systems, with severe long-term environmental and public health consequences.” It added that legislative oversight has remained “largely reactive, episodic and without consequences, creating room for regulatory compromise.”

Addressing what they described as a misleading public narrative, the groups warned against the claim that imported petroleum products are cheaper than locally refined fuels. They insisted that “the persistent narrative that imported refined petroleum products are cheaper than locally refined alternatives is misleading and economically dishonest.” According to the statement, these fuels only appear cheaper because “they impose hidden costs on Nigerians through frequent vehicle breakdowns, higher maintenance expenses, increased emissions and environmental degradation.” The CNPP and CNCSOs stressed that this narrative “survives only because quality enforcement has been weak, allowing substandard products to enter the Nigerian market under the cover of price competitiveness.”

The organisations called for strict and uniform enforcement of ECOWAS fuel quality standards, particularly sulphur limits, without exceptions. They declared that “Nigeria must fully enforce the ECOWAS fuel quality standards, particularly the sulphur (PPM) limits stipulated in the ECOWAS directive documents.” They urged the NMDPRA to ensure that “all imported refined petroleum products meet ECOWAS sulphur specifications without waivers or regulatory discretion,” while also insisting that “all locally refined petroleum products, including those from Dangote Refinery and other domestic refineries, comply with the same ECOWAS sulphur PPM standards as the January 1, 2026 implementation date for locally refined products approaches.”

The statement further demanded parity in regulation, insisting that “the same level of regulatory scrutiny and National Assembly oversight applied to imported products is extended to locally refined fuels.”

While cautioning against monopoly in the sector, the CNPP and CNCSOs rejected any justification for poor-quality fuel. They stated clearly that “Dangote Refinery must not be promoted or protected as a monopoly,” noting that “competition in the downstream petroleum sector is essential.” However, they warned that “opposition to monopoly must not be used as an excuse to tolerate dirty fuels or compromised regulation,” adding that “a fair and competitive market can only exist where quality standards are uniform and enforcement is consistent, regardless of whether products are imported or locally refined.”

The groups also issued a stern message to the National Assembly, urging lawmakers to move beyond routine hearings. According to the statement, “the National Assembly must recognise that oversight without enforcement has failed Nigerians.” They criticised investigations that end without sanctions, saying such processes “only entrench impunity.”

They therefore called on the legislature to “end oversight practices that implicitly favour fuel importation,” to “enforce regulatory compliance through budgetary and legal consequences,” to “publicly track fuel quality enforcement outcomes,” and to “ensure that January 1, 2026 marks a decisive end to substandard fuels in Nigeria.”

In their conclusion, the CNPP and CNCSOs said the current dispute should be a watershed moment for the country’s petroleum sector. They stated that “the NMDPRA–Dangote dispute should serve as a turning point, not another missed opportunity,” urging Nigeria to choose “between a future of regulatory compromise and one of clear standards, firm enforcement and consumer protection.”

They stressed that “from January 1, 2026, there must be one standard, one rule and one level of enforcement for all refined petroleum products in Nigeria, in full compliance with ECOWAS directives,” warning that “anything less will confirm that Nigeria’s petroleum oversight framework remains weak, compromised and tilted in favour of short-term import interests, to the detriment of citizens, industry sustainability and national development.”

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