Bernard Mikko, a former member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, has spoken out against independent petroleum marketers’ calls for import licenses, arguing that Nigeria should focus on reviving its local refineries rather than importing petrol. Mikko criticized claims of a monopoly against the Dangote Refinery, which he says is capable of meeting most of Nigeria’s domestic fuel demand with its 650,000-barrel-per-day capacity.
During an interview with Arise TV, Mikko emphasized that reliance on petrol imports threatens local jobs, pressures the naira, and hampers economic growth. He argued that Nigeria should maximize its crude oil refining capacity rather than rely on foreign products, adding that the four national refineries, with a combined capacity of 445,000 barrels per day, remain idle due to neglect.
Mikko questioned why marketers prioritize imports over reviving local infrastructure and lamented the trend of importing goods like generators instead of developing the nation’s energy sector. “You can’t grow an economy by consumption; it requires production,” he stated. Mikko encouraged critics of Dangote to invest in establishing their own refineries, which he believes would better serve the country than criticizing Dangote’s success in building a refinery within Nigeria.
News Editor