15% fuel import tariff will worsen hardship, says APC chieftain

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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.” Punch