A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Delta State, Chief Ayiri Emami, has faulted President Bola Tinubu’s approval of a 15 per cent ad-valorem import duty on petrol and diesel, warning that the move will worsen the suffering of ordinary Nigerians.

Emami raised the concerns at a press conference held in Abuja on Thursday.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service, which initiated the proposal and secured the President’s approval, said the new tariff was designed to protect domestic refineries, stabilise the downstream oil sector, and strengthen local refining capacity.

FIRS Chairman, Zacch Adedeji, explained that the initiative was part of ongoing reforms to “operationalise crude transactions in local currency, strengthen local refining capacity, and ensure a stable, affordable supply of petroleum products across Nigeria.”

But Emami, who is also the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of A & E Group, an oil, construction and haulage company, disagreed.

Speaking with journalists, he lamented that the policy would “hurt the masses, not marketers.”

The APC stalwart also urged the President to suspend it until the government provides more relief to Nigerians.

“Anybody advising Mr President to impose a 15 per cent tax on petroleum right now is not doing him any good. This kind of policy will not hurt marketers — it will hurt ordinary Nigerians.

“Whatever tax you put on petroleum goes straight back to the people on the streets. Nigerians are already hungry and struggling,” he said.

Emami also warned that the cost of fuel has already crippled daily livelihoods, particularly among rural and riverine communities dependent on fishing and transport.

He said, When you buy fuel, it determines whether you can even go out to fish. It’s not that the fish are gone — it’s that we can’t afford to reach them anymore.

“For me, that 15 per cent should be kept aside until the government provides more relief to Nigerians. Even after removing the fuel subsidy, we haven’t seen much positive reflection. Things are still hard. So why add another burden?”

The oil mogul also expressed fear that certain persons must have been misleading the President.

“Some people don’t care about Mr President or what he’s going through — they just want to create more problems. Those are my honest opinions on the matter,” he added.

PUNCH Online reported that Tinubu’s approval of the new tariff was conveyed in an October 21, 2025, letter to the FIRS and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, directing immediate enforcement.

According to official projections, the 15 per cent import duty could increase the landing cost of petrol by about ₦99.72 per litre — nudging pump prices in Lagos to around ₦964.72 per litre, though still below regional averages.

The policy, government sources say, is part of efforts to encourage the Dangote Refinery and modular plants in Edo, Rivers, and Imo states to scale up production and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on fuel imports, which still account for roughly 67 per cent of national demand.

However, industry experts warn that without corresponding relief measures, the new duty could further squeeze households already battling the effects of fuel subsidy removal and inflation.