15% Fuel Import Duty Will Push Nigerians Beyond Breaking Point – ADC Slams Tinubu Govt

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately reverse the recently approved 15 per cent import duty on petrol and diesel, warning that the policy will worsen the economic hardship confronting Nigerians.

The party described the decision as “insensitive, ill-timed, and ill-conceived,” saying it would further compound the struggles of families, farmers, transporters, and small business owners already reeling from the high cost of living.

In a statement on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the levy would push fuel prices to new highs, beyond the reach of average citizens.

“From all indications, this new tax could raise petrol prices above ₦1,000 per litre, making life unbearable for families, farmers, transporters, and small businesses,” the party said.

The ADC noted that while it supports private investment in the energy sector, such efforts must not come at the expense of ordinary Nigerians.

The opposition party faulted the justification that the new duty was meant to encourage local refining, describing it as a false narrative.

“The Port Harcourt refinery, cited as a cornerstone of the government’s refining strategy, collapsed barely five months after a $1.5 billion rehabilitation, resulting in a ₦366.2 billion loss,” the statement read.

The ADC argued that the Tinubu administration had removed fuel subsidies and devalued the naira without introducing meaningful social protection measures to cushion the impact on citizens.

Criticising the government’s economic direction, the ADC said the administration’s policies had become “a string of trial-and-error experiments” that ignore the reality of Nigerians’ daily suffering.

“Tinubu administration’s economic policies have been a string of trial-and-error experiments that continue to ignore the daily struggles of Nigerians,” the party said.

It urged the President to “stop pushing Nigerians to the wall” and instead focus on restoring stability and public trust.

“A government that cannot manage its refineries has no business taxing those who keep the nation running with their sweat and blood,” it added.

The ADC maintained that true economic patriotism cannot be achieved through policies that inflict pain on citizens.

“If the government’s goal is energy security and local refining, there must first be transparent investment in domestic capacity,” the statement said.

It warned that until Nigeria attains self-sufficiency in refining, any tax designed to discourage fuel imports would only worsen inflation and erode purchasing power.

“Imported fuel still accounts for about 60 per cent of national supply. Until that changes, this tax will only worsen costs,” the ADC stressed.

The party insisted that the 15 per cent import duty be withdrawn without delay, urging the government to adopt policies grounded in empathy and accountability.

“Nigerians deserve a government that plans with empathy, not one that taxes their misery,” the statement concluded.