
Energy expert, Dan Kunle, has warned that the continued importation of petrol and diesel by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited and certain marketers, despite the Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s capacity to meet domestic demand, is a disservice to the country.
Recent reports indicate that NNPC, Oil Marketers Spent N5.5 trillion on petrol, diesel importation in four months.
Speaking on a programme on Arise TV on Sunday, Kunle likened the massive importation of petrol and diesel by NNPC and some marketers over the past four months to the notorious ‘cement Armada’—a scandal from the 1970s, during Nigeria’s oil boom, where hundreds of cement-laden ships flooded the ports, causing years of congestion.
Kunle expressed his disappointment that, despite President Bola Tinubu’s directive and the Federal Executive Council’s decision to allocate local crude oil to domestic refineries, relevant government agencies are blatantly disregarding these directives with no consequences.
“I was expecting a transition following the Federal Executive Council’s decision in October 2024 to allocate local crude to domestic refineries, with Dangote Refinery being the key player due to its technical capacity.
“However, the situation hasn’t changed, and we’re still seeing a massive influx of imported fuel. It’s still a full import Armada, similar to the cement Armada. “