• Oppose DAPPMAN, urge FG to cancel fresh petrol import licences
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The Jetties and Petroleum Tank Farm Owners of Nigeria (JETFON) yesterday expressed its support for the Dangote Refinery, expressing the view that Nigeria currently has the capacity to produce all its fuels without importation.
It also disassociated itself from the recently proposed suit by the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) against the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, after the 650,000 barrels per day facility returned to the court to stop the issuance of new petrol import permits.
In a communique signed by the Executive Secretary of the organisation, Mr Olayiwola Temitope, the association noted that it does not hold the same position on the issuance of fresh import licences with the members of DAPPMAN.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) NMDPRA recently issued fresh import licences for the importation of over 600,000 metric tonnes into the country. This prompted fresh controversy in the downstream oil industry after Dangote withdrew his first court case on the issue.
While marketers have argued that import restrictions create a dangerous monopolistic situation and could negatively impact Nigeria’s energy security, the tank farm owners maintained that local refining output can fully satisfy domestic demand.
The association stated that allowing imports to continue uncurbed will be economically counterproductive, especially considering the growing number of refineries in Nigeria at the moment.
The tank farm owners also called on the federal government and the NMDPRA to halt importation and cancel all active fuel import licences to safeguard the national economy and foster industrial growth.
They argued that continuously granting import permits undercuts domestic production and devalues massive local investments like the Dangote Refinery. The association further asserted that absolute reliance on local refining capacity is the ultimate path to true economic independence and energy security.
It stated: “Relying on foreign refined products leaves the local economy vulnerable to external supply chain shocks, international logistics disruptions, and continuous foreign exchange pressures that weaken the Naira.
“By prioritising local refineries, Nigeria can build a self-sustaining and secure domestic fuel supply ecosystem.”
The group highlighted the latest statistical April factsheet from the NMDPRA, which it said recorded a dynamic change in the nation’s supply-and-demand metrics.
Quoting the regulator’s data, it explained that Nigeria’s daily consumption of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol, surged significantly to 51.1 million litres per day in April 2026, marking a notable increase from the 47.3 million litres per day recorded in March.
Concurrently, the NMDPRA data, it said, revealed that actual fuel importation by marketers dropped sharply by 37.3 percent, falling to 3.7 million litres per day in April compared to the 5.9 million litres per day imported in March.
Besides, it pointed out that domestic refining output, heavily led by the Dangote Refinery, displaced the largest portion of these foreign imports by supplying 40.7 million litres daily to the local market, demonstrating the capacity of local production to handle national consumption.
“With the federal government backing local refineries, Nigeria stands to drastically reduce its heavy reliance on foreign exchange for fuel imports, thereby easing the persistent pressure on the Naira and conserving vital external reserves.
“Beyond forex stability, a thriving local refining sector serves as a massive catalyst for economic growth, generating direct and indirect employment for thousands of skilled Nigerian youths, stimulating industries, and ensuring that wealth generated from natural resources remains within the domestic economy,” the association argued.
