A prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, Chief Ayiri Emami, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s approval of a 15 per cent ad-valorem import duty on petrol and diesel, warning that the move will worsen the suffering of ordinary Nigerians.
Emami, who addressed journalists at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, said the policy, though presented as an economic reform, would further compound the financial strain already faced by millions of citizens.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), which proposed the new tariff, said it was designed to protect domestic refineries, stabilise the downstream oil sector, and promote local refining. FIRS Chairman Zacch Adedeji explained that the reform was part of ongoing efforts to operationalise crude oil transactions in naira, strengthen refining capacity, and ensure a steady, affordable fuel supply nationwide.
However, Emami, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of A & E Group, an oil and construction firm, dismissed the justification, arguing that the decision would “hurt the masses, not marketers.” He called on President Tinubu to suspend the new duty until adequate economic relief is provided to citizens.
“Anybody advising Mr President to impose a 15 percent tax on petroleum right now is not doing him any good,” Emami said. “Whatever tax you place on petroleum goes straight back to the people on the streets. Nigerians are already hungry and struggling.”
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He warned that the rising cost of fuel had already crippled livelihoods, particularly in riverine communities where transportation and fishing depend heavily on petrol and diesel. “When you buy fuel, it determines whether you can even go out to fish,” he said. “It’s not that the fish are gone, it’s that we can’t afford to reach them anymore.”
Emami argued that implementing the tariff without cushioning measures would only widen the gap between government policy and the daily realities of Nigerians. “That 15 percent should be kept aside until the government provides more relief. Even after subsidy removal, life hasn’t improved. Things remain hard. So why add another burden?” he asked.
He further alleged that some officials might be misleading the President, saying, “There are people who don’t care about Mr President or the country; they only want to create more problems. Those are my honest opinions on this matter.”
President Tinubu’s approval of the new tariff was reportedly conveyed in an October 21, 2025 letter to the FIRS and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), directing immediate enforcement.
According to government projections, the 15 percent import duty could raise the landing cost of petrol by about ₦99.72 per litre, pushing pump prices in Lagos to around ₦964.72 per litre. The policy is intended to encourage refineries such as Dangote Refinery and modular plants in Edo, Rivers, and Imo states to scale up production and cut Nigeria’s dependence on fuel imports, which still account for nearly 67 per cent of national demand.
But some energy analysts warn that without parallel interventions to protect low-income earners, the new measure may deepen inflationary pressures and further erode household purchasing power already weakened by the removal of fuel subsidies.
