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ABUJA, NIGERIA – A coalition of civil society organisations has accused the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) of deliberately frustrating the operations of the $20 billion Dangote Petroleum Refinery And Petrochemical and protecting what it described as a powerful fuel importation cartel.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Saturday, the Coalition of Civil Society Groups for Peace, Security, Good Governance, Equity and Justice alleged that despite changes in the leadership of the petroleum regulatory agency earlier this year, the authority remains under the influence of vested interests determined to sustain Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products.
The statement, signed by the Coalition’s National Coordinator, Comrade James Okoronkwo, condemned what it termed the continued importation of substandard and high-sulphur petroleum products into the country, even as domestic refining capacity continues to improve.
According to the coalition, the importation of “dirty fuel” over the years has caused severe environmental and economic damage, including the destruction of vehicle engines and the emission of harmful pollutants.
The group argued that the emergence of the Dangote Refinery, which it said is capable of producing cleaner Euro-V standard petroleum products, should have marked the end of Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuel.
However, it alleged that the NMDPRA has continued to permit the importation of petroleum products from countries such as Malta and Russia while creating bureaucratic obstacles that delay the expansion of locally refined products in the market.
Coalition Rejects Monopoly Claims
The coalition also dismissed concerns in some quarters that the Dangote Refinery could become a monopoly in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector.
Describing such arguments as “cheap and manipulative blackmail,” the group maintained that the refinery’s emergence was the result of private investment and entrepreneurial risk-taking rather than government patronage.
It noted that while successive governments invested billions of dollars in the rehabilitation of state-owned refineries without achieving meaningful results, the privately owned refinery was established through massive indigenous investment.
According to the coalition, branding the refinery as a monopoly is merely an attempt to preserve what it called “the real monopoly” allegedly operated by fuel importers.
‘Economic Treason’
The civil society organisations further accused the petroleum regulator of undermining investor confidence and discouraging foreign direct investment in Nigeria.
The group described the alleged regulatory obstacles facing the Dangote Refinery as an act of “economic treason,” warning that the treatment of a major indigenous investor sends negative signals to both local and international investors.
“If a Nigerian who invested $20 billion into the local economy is subjected to endless sabotage, what message is being sent to prospective investors?” the coalition queried.
It further argued that the alleged actions of the NMDPRA could undermine the economic reform agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and frustrate efforts aimed at attracting investment into the country’s energy sector.
Demand for Immediate Action
The coalition called on the Federal Government to impose a total ban on the importation of substandard petroleum products and ensure a level playing field for domestic refiners.
It also urged the government to take decisive steps to protect indigenous investments, promote local refining capacity and end what it described as the stranglehold of the fuel importation cabal on Nigeria’s economy.
The statement adds to the growing debate over Nigeria’s downstream petroleum industry, as stakeholders continue to clash over fuel imports, market competition and the future role of domestic refining in achieving energy security and economic self-sufficiency.
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