Opposition party condemns 15% levy on petrol and diesel imports
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has issued a strong warning to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the recent approval of a 15 percent import duty on petrol and diesel, describing the move as a threat to national stability and citizens’ welfare.
In a statement released by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, the opposition party expressed concern that the newly approved duty would intensify Nigeria’s cost-of-living crisis and deepen the economic hardship already facing millions of households.
According to the ADC, imposing an additional tax on imported petroleum products at a time when inflation and unemployment are surging amounts to “economic cruelty” and shows “a lack of empathy for the suffering of ordinary Nigerians.”
ADC says new tax will push petrol price above ₦1,000 per litre
The ADC warned that the new import duty could push the pump price of petrol beyond ₦1,000 per litre, a development that would have devastating consequences for transportation, food prices, and small-scale businesses.
“From all indications, this new levy is likely to push the pump price of petrol beyond ₦1,000 per litre. If this happens, life would become even more unbearable for families, commuters, transporters, farmers, and small businesses already struggling under the weight of fuel subsidy removal without social protection and currency devaluation without safeguards,” Abdullahi said.
The party argued that the policy was ill-timed and poorly conceived, noting that many Nigerians are already unable to afford basic needs such as food, rent, and healthcare.
Policy described as insensitive and poorly reasoned
While acknowledging the need to encourage local refining and reduce dependence on imported fuel, the ADC said such efforts must not come at the cost of citizens’ survival. The party accused the government of adopting harsh economic measures without proper planning or consultation with stakeholders.
“Introducing a fresh levy on imported fuel at a time when Nigerians are suffocating under the weight of the government’s reforms reflects insensitivity and poor judgement,” the statement read.
The ADC also criticized the government’s claim that the tax was designed to protect local production, describing the argument as “flawed and misleading.” It cited the example of the Port Harcourt refinery, which reportedly collapsed barely five months after a $1.5 billion rehabilitation project, resulting in losses of over ₦366.2 billion.
“Renewed Hope Agenda” under fire
The ADC accused the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda of lacking coherent direction, describing it as a “trial-and-error” approach that sacrifices citizens’ wellbeing for economic experiments.
“What has become clear to us 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 has no consideration for the ordinary people of Nigeria,” the party said.
The opposition group lamented that despite repeated promises of economic recovery, most Nigerians continue to experience worsening poverty, high food prices, and rising transport fares.
“While the government continues to push the narrative of economic progress, the cost of food, rent, and transportation — not to mention school fees — continues to rise beyond the reach of ordinary Nigerians,” Abdullahi added.
ADC demands reversal of “anti-people” policy
Calling the new duty “ill-conceived and anti-people,” the ADC demanded an immediate reversal of the policy. It argued that true economic growth should improve the living standards of citizens, not push them further into poverty.
“The ADC therefore firmly opposes this import duty and warns the government not to push the people to the wall. We demand that it be reversed immediately. Nigerians deserve a government that plans, not one that panics,” the party declared.
The party also questioned the competence of the federal government in managing the nation’s refineries, stating that it was unfair to punish importers who have kept the country’s energy supply stable despite government inefficiency.
“A government that cannot run its own refineries has no business taxing those who keep the country running with their sweat and blood. President Tinubu must understand that economic patriotism cannot be enforced through pain,” Abdullahi added.
Party calls for gradual and transparent energy reforms
While reiterating its support for local investment and energy self-sufficiency, the ADC stressed that reforms in the oil and gas sector must be gradual, transparent, and inclusive. It said policies aimed at promoting local refining should be accompanied by investments in refinery capacity and social protection measures for vulnerable groups.
“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 import will only make Nigerians pay more for imported fuel, which still accounts for about 60 percent of supply — a gap that cannot be replaced overnight,” Abdullahi said.
ADC urges empathy and accountability in governance
Concluding its statement, the ADC urged the Tinubu administration to demonstrate empathy, foresight, and accountability in its economic decisions. The party warned that policies driven by desperation or pressure from international institutions could provoke widespread public discontent.
“Nigerians are tired of paying for the government’s inefficiency. It is time to govern with compassion and competence, not experiments that turn citizens into casualties,” the ADC declared.
The party’s statement comes amid growing public concern over Nigeria’s rising cost of living, the depreciation of the naira, and continued dependence on imported fuel despite massive investments in refinery rehabilitation projects.
