By Atoyebi Nike
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to prioritize selling crude oil to Dangote Refinery in Naira, arguing the move would lower fuel prices and strengthen domestic refining.
Lagos NLC Chairperson Funmi Sesi made the appeal during a tour of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Fertilizer Ltd. with Labour Writers Association of Nigeria (LAWAN) members on Tuesday. She warned that forcing Dangote to import crude or pay in dollars for local supply undermines the promise of cheaper fuel.
“This country has crude in abundance, and why is Dangote still paying in hard currency for locally produced crude?” Sesi asked. She said local-currency sourcing would cut operational costs and lead to sustainable pump price reductions.
Sesi praised Dangote’s investments as transformative national assets that bridge supply gaps, create jobs, and advance industrialization. The refinery, with a 650,000-barrel daily capacity, already produces Euro-5-compliant fuel and exports fertilizers, she noted.
Dangote Vice President (Oil and Gas) Devakumar Edwin said the company plans to deploy 4,000 CNG-powered trucks to distribute products nationwide, cutting logistics costs and passing savings to consumers.