By Yahaya Umar
Presidency has explained that the recently introduced 15% import duty on petrol and diesel was designed to make these imported products less competitive and encourage local refining.
It stated that the policy will also boost domestic capacity and ensure that Nigeria’s oil wealth translates directly into national prosperity.
This disclosure is contained in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, on Friday, October 31, 2025.
Dare stated that this will reverse the disturbing trend of Nigeria’s heavy reliance on imported petroleum products despite being a leading crude oil producer and conserve foreign exchange.
The presidential spokesman noted that with this policy, the federal government is shifting the market to favour local refineries such as Dangote and other modular plants.
He pointed out that the increase in local refining and supply will help in the moderation of prices as well as expand jobs, investment and industrial activity.
Dare in the statement said, ‘’It’s no longer news that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a 15% import duty on petrol and diesel a bold and strategic move aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s energy landscape.
‘’For years, the nation has depended heavily on imported fuel despite being a leading crude oil producer, draining foreign exchange and exporting jobs that should have been created at home.
‘’This new policy is designed to reverse that trend by encouraging local refining, boosting domestic capacity, and ensuring that Nigeria’s oil wealth translates directly into national prosperity.
‘’By making imported fuel less competitive, government is tilting the market in favour of local refineries such as Dangote and other modular plants, laying the groundwork for a self-sustaining and resilient energy sector.
‘’As local refining ramps up and supply strengthens, prices are expected to moderate while jobs, investment, and industrial activity expand.
‘’This policy is therefore not a burden, but a bridge from dependence to independence, from vulnerability to strength”.
Earlier President Tinubu had approved a 15% ad-valorem import duty on diesel and Premium Motor Spirit ,PMS, commonly known as petrol.
The approval was contained in a letter dated October 21, 2025, where Damilotun Aderemi, the Private Secretary to the President, conveyed the directive to the Federal Inland Revenue Service ,FIRS, and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority ,NMDPRA.
According to the letter, the decision followed a request by the FIRS seeking the president’s consent to apply a 15% duty on the cost, insurance, and freight ,CIF, value of imported petrol and diesel to align import costs with domestic realities.
The proposal sought the application of a 15% duty on the cost, insurance and freight value of imported petrol and diesel to align import costs with domestic market realities.
The FIRS Chairman, Zacch Adedeji, in his memo to the President, explained that the measure was part of ongoing reforms to boost local refining, ensure price stability, and strengthen the naira-based oil economy in line with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda for energy security and fiscal sustainability.
Credible Identity Management System Vital To National Progress—Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu says his administration is committed to providing a credible, secure, verifiable, and usable identity management system across the board.
According to a statement by presidential spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu spoke at the State House during the launch of the NINAuth App, a digital, mobile-based identity authentication Application developed by the National Identity Management Commission ,NIMC, asserting that such a system is fundamental to the nation’s developmental goals.
He added that his administration is leveraging technology to enhance efficiency, transparency and accountability in governance.
In furtherance of this, Mr Tinubu assured that all Ministries, Departments and Agencies ,MDAs, will soon adopt the new app for staff and data verification.
“Today’s official launch of the NIMC NINAuth App heralds a remarkable day in our nation’s digital public infrastructure journey as Africa’s largest identity database. This innovation marks yet another milestone in our collective pursuit of a digitally-empowered Nigeria.
“Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, our administration is committed to leveraging technology to enhance efficiency, transparency, and accountability in governance. Central to this agenda is the modernisation of digital infrastructure to eliminate unnecessary bottlenecks and ensure that every Nigerian, regardless of background or location, has access to essential services without the frustration of bureaucratic delays”.
President Tinubu explained that the ‘App’ will place Nigeria on par with the world’s most technologically advanced nations and create an environment for seamless, secure, and inclusive access to services, opportunities, and benefits, while maintaining the highest standards of data protection and national security.
“This way, we are simplifying access, reducing bureaucratic interference, and reducing the gaps within which inefficiency and corruption can thrive.
“A credible and inclusive National Identity Management System is fundamental to our national development goals. It supports financial inclusion, strengthens social welfare delivery, enhances our security architecture, and ensures accurate population data for evidence-based planning”, the President stated.
He noted that with the NINAuth, every citizen and legal resident of Nigeria will benefit from a unified National Identity Database, one that will power social programmes, improve electoral integrity, enhance healthcare access, and promote the equitable distribution of our commonwealth.
He called on citizens to adopt the new application, commending NIMC for taking bold steps to transform identity management from a bureaucratic exercise into a dynamic, technology-driven system that aligns with global best practices.
“My fellow Nigerians, the future we seek is one where technology empowers every citizen and where trust in governance is built on efficiency, transparency, and inclusiveness. The launch of this application demonstrates that the promises we have made as a government are being responsibly measured and are manifesting in tangible reforms that improve daily life.
“Let us all embrace this new era. Let us protect it, use it responsibly, and ensure that it serves as a bridge, connecting our people, our institutions, and our aspirations for a more prosperous nation.
“Together, we are building a nation where every identity counts and every citizen must matter”, President Tinubu concluded.
