President Bola Tinubu has given the green light for the implementation of a 15 per cent ad-valorem import duty on petrol and diesel brought into Nigeria — a move expected to protect domestic refineries and promote stability in the downstream oil sector.
In a directive dated October 21, 2025 — made public on Wednesday — Tinubu ordered the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to immediately begin enforcing the tariff. The decision, according to the government, forms part of a new “market-responsive import tariff framework.”
The letter, signed by the president’s private secretary, Damilotun Aderemi, confirmed Tinubu’s approval of a proposal submitted by FIRS Chairman Zacch Adedeji. The plan recommends a 15 per cent duty on the cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) value of imported petrol and diesel to reflect true market conditions and encourage local production.
According to him, the new tariff system will prevent duty-free fuel imports from undermining local refineries and promote a fair, competitive downstream sector.
Projections included in the presidential approval note indicate that the 15 per cent import duty could raise the landing cost of petrol by about ₦99.72 per litre.
