BAT: Why Don’t You Give Crude Oil To Dangote And It’ll Refine And Give Directly To Nigerians—Kenneth Okonkwo

Kenneth Okonkwo, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has criticised the fuel discount policy introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, suggesting that the Federal Government should supply crude oil directly to Dangote Refinery to reduce the cost of petrol for Nigerians.

According to a report published on the official X account of Channels Television on Monday, October 12, 2026, Okonkwo made the remarks while discussing the government’s decision to introduce a 30-day discount policy on petrol dispensed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC).

The ADC chieftain questioned the approach adopted by the Federal Government, arguing that supplying crude oil directly to Dangote Refinery could provide an alternative to the current arrangement and help address the factors contributing to high petrol prices.

He suggested that rather than relying on a temporary discount policy, the government should consider a system in which crude oil is supplied to the refinery for processing before the finished petroleum products are distributed directly to Nigerians.

According to the report, Okonkwo argued that the transportation of crude oil was one of the factors contributing to the high cost of petrol, making direct supply to the refinery a possible way to reduce expenses.

He said, “Why do you not just give the crude directly to Dangote and Dangote will refine it and give it directly to Nigerians”.

Okonkwo’s proposal centres on the relationship between crude oil supply, refining costs and the final price consumers pay for petrol. His position is that making crude oil available directly to Dangote Refinery could reduce some of the costs associated with moving the commodity before it is processed.

The remarks came after the Tinubu administration announced a 30-day fuel discount policy involving petrol dispensed by the NNPC. The policy was presented as a measure affecting the price of petrol available to consumers during the specified period.

However, Okonkwo’s comments raised a different question about the government’s approach to fuel pricing: whether a temporary discount would address the underlying costs associated with supplying and refining crude oil.

His suggestion also places emphasis on the role of domestic refining in Nigeria’s petroleum supply chain. Under the proposal he outlined, crude oil would be delivered directly to Dangote Refinery, processed locally and supplied to Nigerians.

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