Oil marketers are urging the federal government to liberalise the downstream petroleum sector by reinstating fuel import licences for licensed operators. Billy Gillis-Harry, national president of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), made the call during an appearance on Channels Television's The Morning Brief on Tuesday. He argued that allowing more players to import Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) would foster healthy competition and shield Nigeria from petrol price shocks linked to the ongoing Middle East crisis. That crisis has pushed local petrol prices above N1,200 per litre.

Gillis-Harry acknowledged the contribution of the Dangote Refinery, stating it has advanced the economy, but insisted that relying solely on domestic refining is not sustainable in the short term. He advocated for temporary fuel imports to complement local supply and improve market competitiveness. The World Bank, in its April 2026 Nigeria Development Update (NDU), had recommended reinstating petrol import licences to ease pricing pressures, noting that domestic PMS prices stood at N1,275 per litre in March 2026, about 12 per cent above the import parity price of N1,122.

He dismissed concerns about substandard imported fuel, saying regulatory checks by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) would prevent poor-quality products from entering the market. Gillis-Harry stressed that PETROAN members, including major and depot marketers, support diversification of supply sources even as they continue sourcing from Dangote.

💡 NaijaBuzz Take

Billy Gillis-Harry's push for fuel import liberalisation exposes a growing tension between celebrating domestic refining milestones and confronting the reality of supply inadequacy. While the Dangote Refinery is operational, its output alone cannot meet national demand, and pretending otherwise risks economic strain. The fact that petrol prices have climbed to N1,275 per litre—above import parity—shows the market is not functioning efficiently, regardless of nationalist narratives.

The World Bank's recommendation to resume imports is not ideological but diagnostic: restricted competition is inflating prices across the economy. When a single domestic refinery becomes the primary supply source without parallel import capacity, it creates a de facto bottleneck, even if unintentional. Gillis-Harry's insistence on regulatory safeguards counters the outdated fear of substandard fuel, pointing instead to institutional capacity that has, in recent years, improved quality control.

For millions of Nigerians, this debate is not theoretical. Higher pump prices mean increased transportation and living costs, especially for low-income earners and small businesses. Allowing licensed importers back into the market could pressure prices downward through competition, offering tangible relief.

This moment reflects a broader pattern: Nigeria's tendency to swing between import dependence and overreliance on singular domestic solutions, never settling on a balanced, resilient energy policy.

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