Chai! Naija oil war don enter fresh level, my people. President Bola Tinubu don move enter Senate wahala, seek approval for two new chief executives wey go run Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). Dis matter hot like jollof for fire, no be small.

So e be say, former bosses of dis two agencies, Farouk Ahmed and Gbenga Komolafe, don resign. Dem dey waka since 2021 under former President Buhari, but now wahala don land. Na Aliko Dangote, the oil billionaire, wey dey run Dangote Industries, dey flex muscle for dis issue. Him and the former NMDPRA oga, Farouk, don dey gist about corruption matter wey dey involve import licences. Who no go vex when people dey frustrate your business?

You fit believe say, Nigeria dey import over 72% of im petrol within the first nine months of 2025. Dis kind figures no suppose dey happen, my brother! Even with Dangote refinery dey try hustle, Nigeria still dey send money abroad every day, dey import petrol like person wey no get option.

November alone, dem import average 52.1 million litres every day! According to Dangote, dem don use 47 licences to dey allow traders bring in products while local refineries dey waka like tortoise. Dis no good at all, as e dey make local businesses dey suffer, and e fit cause more problems for the economy.

Wetin dey vex Dangote pass be say, NMDPRA don dey issue wetin e call ‘reckless licences’ wey dey allow importation of 7.5 billion litres of petrol for early 2026. He lamented say, Russia na the main supplier wey dey undercut local prices, making it difficult for local businesses like im own to survive.

For wey he talk, im reason dey valid. Na him own refinery dey try bring pump price down but e no go work if dem dey issue licences like biscuit. Dangote dey shout say, we don get local capacity, make we use am! But regulators fit seem like say dem no dey listen or no sabi di work dem dey do.

The NMDPRA talk say dem need to issue licences because Dangote refinery never dey meet national demand. Even if na true, e no mean say dem go continue dey allow imports wey dey destabilize our economy. How far Nigeria? When una go stop this cycle of dependency?

Meanwhile, some other stakeholders dey talk say, we need to support effforts like Dangote refinery wey fit help reduce unemployment and boost local economy. Naija fit grow if we promote our own industries and stop to dey import wetin we fit produce.

My people, the competition between Dangote and these oil importers no go end anytime soon. E go take concerted efforts from our leaders to fit bring about change wey go favour local businesses. Everyone dey watch as this drama dey unfold. Who go win this oil battle? We go see!