LETTER TO TINUBU: Are FG agencies sabotaging government’s economy policies, Dangote Refinery or punishing Nigerians? – Woman Journalist

Dear Mr President Sir,

Why will the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) be issuing 47 import licences to bring in more than seven billion litres of petrol when we have a local refinery with tanks full of same products? This does not make any economy sense at all. This is obviously a targeted plan and a move to kill local investments.

Why are some people hell-bent on making the masses suffer unnecessarily.

Are they knowingly frustrating Federal Government’s efforts aimed at making life bearable for the masses or the Federal Government is allowing them to sabotage its efforts geared towards better lives for Nigerian citizens?

These questions are being asked because we all know that the prices of diesel and petrol in this country affect every other thing.

Why will the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) be issuing 47 import licences to bring in more than seven billion litres of petrol when we have a local refinery with tanks full of same products? This does not make any economy sense at all.

This is obviously a targeted plan and a move to kill local investments. And I don’t think we should be doing this at this stage of our national development when we should be encouraging local investors in order to boost our naira by producing refined Petroleum products, leathers, iron rods, rubbers among several others massively to create employment opportunities, which will in a way curb insecurity as well as boost our currency.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu needs to do more in terms of protecting local investors. Why the policy somersaults?

We have no reason whatsoever to be encouraging importation of whatever we can produce in our country if we are indeed really serious about economic growth.

In his words, Alhaji Aliko Dangote stated that their tanks are full because the NMDPRA has issued reckless licences. Please, why are we like this in Nigeria? Who do us like some people would say? Must we be helping other countries’ economy to the detriment of our own economy because of selfish reasons?

“They normally issue licences in the middle of the month. So, they are now ready to issue licences for about 7.5 billion litres for the first quarter of 2026, despite the fact that we have guaranteed to supply enough quantity.

“If you are talking about monopoly, did we stop anybody? They issued 47 licences. Let those people come and put up a refinery here, or let them go and buy even NNPC’s and operate them. If it’s profitable, they should go and do that now. NNPC was the only business that was bringing in fuel before.

“Now, we are the only one and one of the few modular refineries that are producing. Those modular refineries, I can tell you for nothing that they are almost on the verge of collapse. None of them is making a dime,” Alhaji Dangote added.

Barring any last-minute change, MRS and other partners of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery are set to begin selling petrol at N739 per litre this week.

The President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, said he was aware that despite lower gantry prices, some filling stations often choose to keep pump prices high, thereby sabotaging his efforts.

According to him, MRS would commence the sale of petrol at N739 per litre from tomorrow, while other partners would follow. Dangote alleged that some officials had met with certain marketers and encouraged them to keep prices high in order to frustrate the price reduction, stressing that he would fight to enforce the new price regime.

“I was told that the marketers have met with (some officials) and were told to make sure that the price is maintained high. But this price we are going to introduce, we are going to start with MRS stations most likely on Tuesday in Lagos; that N970 per litre, you won’t see it again. We have also asked members of IPMAN to come now.
We have asked anybody who can buy 10 trucks to come and buy 10 trucks at N699.

“We are going to use whatever resources that we have to make sure that we crash the price down. We will get these sales; maybe it will take us a week to 10 days. But first of all, within a week to 10 days, we will be able to deliver. For this December and January, we don’t want people to sell petrol for more than N740 nationwide. Those who want to keep the price to sabotage the government, we will fight as much as we can to make sure that these prices are down. That’s not the price. If you have money to come and buy, you can pick up petrol at N699,” he said.

The billionaire businessman assured Nigerians that the N739 per litre price would be enforced, beginning with MRS stations on Tuesday. “Starting from Tuesday, MRS will start selling petrol at N739/litre. Definitely, we will enforce that low price. We will make sure that it’s implemented. If you have your truck, you can come here and buy it. We are selling at N699. The N699 includes the percentage of NMDPRA. So what actually comes out to us is about N389 or so,” he stated.

If Dangote Refinery is ready to crash the price of petrol, why is government not giving the needed support?

Are we really serious at all? Or who is fooling who? If those in position to enforce compliance are not ready and willing, we have millions of loyal and God-fearing citizens who are ready to make our country works and make life bearable for the masses.

This is one of those issues I will expect our youths to trend with on social media and ensure that government do the needful to ensure better standards of living for Nigerian citizens.

If we are really serious about fighting corruption, a lot of people should be in jail by now.

The President and CEO of Dangote Industries Limited, Alhaji Aliko Dangote publicly accused the Chief Executive Officer of NMDPRA, Engr. Farouk Ahmed, of corruption, claiming that the NMDPRA chief is living beyond his means by paying up to $5 million in school fees for his four children in Switzerland.
It’s only in Nigeria that government officials do away with many infractions.

This and other weighty allegations must be fully investigated and prosecuted because the same person is said to be colluding with international traders and oil importers to hinder local refining by issuing import licences for petroleum products despite Nigeria’s growing refining capacity.

In a saner clime, such characters would have resigned their positions without waiting for any prompting. Unfortunately, that’s not the situation in Nigeria.

Nigerians are awaiting the response of Mr. President on this issue and many others. We will surely keep tabs on this and others.

It’s not going to be business as usual going forward.

Signed by:
Sekinah Lawah,
Former Chairman,
Lagos State Chapter,
Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ).