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By Moses Akaigwe
The Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) has called on Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prioritise the direct supply of crude oil to domestic refineries, particularly the Dangote Refinery, as part of urgent measures to address the rising cost of petrol in the country.
The association said the move has become necessary in light of growing concerns that the ongoing crisis in the Middle East and global energy market volatility could further drive up fuel prices in Nigeria.
NAJA made the appeal only days after the Federal Government announced plans to distribute 100,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion kits nationwide to encourage motorists and commuters to adopt alternative fuel options and ease the burden of rising petrol costs.
While commending the government’s CNG initiative, the association emphasised that strengthening domestic refining capacity through reliable crude oil supply would offer a more sustainable and immediate solution to Nigeria’s fuel pricing challenges.
Speaking on behalf of the association, NAJA Chairman, Theodore Opara, urged the Federal Government to implement policies that would allow local refineries to access crude oil directly from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and conduct transactions in naira.
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According to Opara, the current arrangement—where the Dangote Refinery imports a significant portion of its crude—makes it vulnerable to fluctuations in the global oil market.
“Dangote Refinery imports most of its crude, hence it is exposed to the effects of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East,” he said. “If the refinery receives direct crude supply from the NNPC, it will strengthen the country’s long-term energy diversification strategy and reduce exposure to international supply shocks.”
Opara noted that despite being Africa’s largest crude oil producer, Nigeria still depends heavily on imported refined petroleum products, a situation that continues to expose the economy to external price volatility.
He explained that enabling major refineries in the country to access crude locally and transact in naira would significantly reduce Nigeria’s vulnerability to global market disruptions while helping to stabilise the downstream petroleum sector.
“CNG is a good transition policy for transportation, but the backbone of Nigeria’s fuel supply must still come from efficient domestic refining,” Opara said.
Industry observers have also argued that direct crude allocation to local refineries could ease pressure on the naira and help stabilise the domestic fuel market, especially during periods of global supply disruptions.
NAJA maintained that combining the CNG initiative with strong government support for domestic refining would create a balanced strategy capable of shielding Nigerian motorists from the effects of international oil market volatility.
