Two influential national groups—the Bloggers and Vloggers, Content Creators Association in Nigeria (BAVCCA) and the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria (COCSON)—on Tuesday accused a powerful fuel-import cartel of sabotaging the Dangote Refinery and undermining Nigeria’s push toward full energy independence.
At an emergency press conference in Abuja themed “Dangote Refinery Is a National Asset – Hands Off Our Energy Independence,” the groups alleged that entrenched interests benefiting from decades of fuel importation are working tirelessly to derail local refining efforts.
Speaking during the briefing, leaders of BAVCCA and COCSON said Nigeria has already reached complete domestic fuel sufficiency based on current output from the Dangote Refinery.
They stated that the refinery now delivers 104 million litres of refined products daily, comprising:
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57 million litres of PMS,
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20 million litres of aviation fuel, and
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27 million litres of diesel.
These volumes, they argued, exceed the country’s 70–75 million-litre daily fuel consumption, making fuel importation unnecessary.
They dismissed PENGASSAN President Festus Osifo’s comments that Dangote only meets 40% of the country’s needs, calling the claim “outdated and misleading.”
The groups sharply criticised the Federal Government’s suspension of the 15% import duty on petroleum products, describing the decision as “a calculated attempt to cripple local refining while empowering foreign importers.”
“This is not policy — this is sabotage disguised as relief,” they said.
They accused a network of fuel importers, oil trading companies, and collaborators within government institutions of creating artificial price advantages for imported fuel to weaken the Dangote Refinery’s impact.
The groups alleged that this cartel has been sponsoring misinformation campaigns, manipulating data, and lobbying to keep Nigeria dependent on imported products.
In one of the strongest positions taken at the briefing, BAVCCA and COCSON issued a seven-day ultimatum to individuals and organisations allegedly involved in sabotage, warning that they will begin naming and shaming those involved if the alleged activities do not cease by 12:01 a.m. on November 25, 2025.
The groups announced that during the Energy Truth Summit scheduled for November 22 in Abuja, they will begin releasing names, photos, corporate affiliations, and “verified evidence” of suspected actors.
“We will expose the cabal. We will not allow 200 million Nigerians to be held hostage again,” they declared.
BAVCCA and COCSON called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently intervene by:
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Completely banning fuel importation,
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Enforcing a policy mandating sale of only locally refined fuel,
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Establishing a task force to investigate and prosecute downstream sector saboteurs.
They also claimed to have submitted petitions to the Presidency, EFCC, ICPC, DSS, and the National Assembly.
The organisations announced that the Energy Truth Summit—set for November 22—will convene content creators, civil society groups, and energy experts to counter misinformation in the oil and gas sector.
The event will feature data presentations, workshops, a digital influence toolkit, a new fact-checking app, and a nationwide virtual town hall expected to draw more than one million online participants.
Concluding the briefing, the groups emphasized that the refinery’s importance now transcends private ownership.
“The Dangote Refinery is not Aliko Dangote’s personal property—it is a Nigerian asset. We will defend it with everything we have,” they declared.
They reassured Nigerians that civil society, content creators, and the public will continue mobilising to protect local refining and ensure Nigeria’s energy future is not sabotaged by vested interests.
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