African Democratic Congress, ADC, has condemned the approval of 15 percent import duty on petrol and diesel, describing the decision as insensitive and capable of worsening the economic hardship faced by Nigerians already struggling with high living costs.
A statement by its spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, yesterday, said it supports private investments in the energy sector, but urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure that such policies prioritise citizens welfare and not push Nigerians to the brink.
It would be recalled that Tinubu approved a 15 percent ad-valorem import duty on petrol and diesel brought into Nigeria.
The policy, designed to protect local refineries and stabilise the downstream oil sector, is expected to push pump prices higher.
According to a letter dated October 21, made public on October 30 and addressed to the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Tinubu ordered the immediate enforcement of the new tariff under what he termed a “market-responsive import tariff framework.”
The approval, conveyed through his Private Secretary, Damilotun Aderemi, followed a proposal from the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Zacch Adedeji.
However, petroleum marketers cautioned that the decision could push the pump price of petrol above ₦1,000 per litre.
Reacting, ADC criticised the levy, questioning its justification when the Port Harcourt refinery, central to government’s refining plan, failed just five months after a $1.5 billion repair, causing a ₦366.2 billion loss.
It stated, “The party notes that the Tinubu administration’s approach to economic reform has remained insensitive to the suffering of ordinary Nigerians, warning that any economic growth that condemns the majority to hardship and misery is ultimately destructive.
“The African Democratic Congress is deeply concerned by President Tinubu’s recent approval of a 15 percent import duty on petrol and diesel. Coming at a time when Nigerians are already suffocating under the weight of his Renewed Hope Agenda, this fuel tax is both insensitive and misguided. It raises the question of whether the APC government ever considers the pain its policies continue to inflict on the people.
“From all indications, this new levy is likely to push the pump price of petrol beyond ₦1,000 per litre. If this happens, life will become even more unbearable for families, commuters, transporters, farmers and small businesses already struggling under the burden of fuel subsidy removal without social protection and currency devaluation without safeguards.
“What has become clear is that the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda is, at best, a trial-and-error system and, at worst, a cynical, self-serving agenda that disregards the welfare of ordinary Nigerians.”
ADC rejected the import duty and called for its prompt withdrawal.
The statement added, “While government continues to promote a narrative of economic progress, the cost of food, rent, transport and education continues to rise beyond the reach of most citizens. If it persists with this latest tax measure, it will only deepen the people’s suffering.
“ADC, therefore, firmly opposes this ill-conceived import duty and warns government not to push Nigerians to the wall. We demand its immediate reversal. Nigerians deserve a government that plans, not one that panics. A government that cannot run its own refineries has no moral right to tax those who keep the country running through their sweat and toil.
“President Tinubu must understand that economic patriotism cannot be enforced through pain. While ADC supports private investments in the energy sector, it rejects any policy that inflicts additional hardship on citizens.
“If the goal is energy security and domestic refining, there must first be transparent investment in local capacity. Until then, any tax imposed to discourage imports will only force Nigerians to pay more for imported fuel, which still accounts for about 60% of the national supply, a gap that cannot be bridged overnight.”
