The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reconsider his decision to impose a 15 percent import duty on petrol and diesel, warning that the policy would deepen the economic suffering of Nigerians already battling a cost-of-living crisis.
In a statement signed by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, the ADC said that while it supports efforts to boost local refining, such measures must not come at the expense of citizens’ wellbeing.
The party described the new levy as “insensitive and poorly judged,” saying it risks worsening inflation and could trigger widespread unrest.
“From all indications, this new levy is likely to push the pump price of petrol beyond N1,000 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 ADC dismissed the government’s justification that the levy would protect local production as “flawed,” citing the collapse of the Port Harcourt refinery just five months after a $1.5 billion rehabilitation effort that led to a ₦366.2 billion loss.
“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.
Party accuses government of worsening poverty through poor policy choices
The ADC accused the Tinubu administration of aggravating poverty through economic decisions that prioritise fiscal experiments over citizens’ welfare. It said that while officials promote narratives of economic recovery, the reality for most Nigerians remains grim.
“While the government continues to push the narrative of economic progress, food, rent, and transport, not to mention school fees, continue to be priced out of the reach of ordinary Nigerians.
“If the government continues with this latest tax attack, it will further compound the people’s suffering,” Abdullahi said.
The party demanded an immediate reversal of the tax, describing it as “ill-conceived and anti-people.” It argued that true economic growth must uplift citizens rather than deepen their misery.
“The ADC therefore firmly opposes this ill-conceived 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.
Challenging the government’s capacity to manage national refineries, the ADC said it was unjust to penalise private importers who have sustained the energy market amid state 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 said.
Reaffirming its support for private sector participation in the oil and gas industry, the party called for gradual implementation of reforms backed by transparency and social protection for the most vulnerable.
“If the goal is energy security and domestic refining, let there first be transparent investment in local capacity. Until then, any tax imposed to discourage import will only lead to people paying more for imported fuel, which still stands at 60 percent of supply, a gap that cannot be substituted overnight,” Abdullahi said.
The ADC urged the Tinubu administration to govern with empathy and prudence, warning that hasty or insensitive policies would further alienate citizens.
“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 party added.
