ABUJA – Industrialists from Northern Nigeria have welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to impose a 15 per cent import duty on petroleum products and other progressive policies, noting that the measure is a strategic move aimed at stimulating local production, enhancing value addition within the oil and gas sector, and creating a more competitive environment for Nigerian manufacturers.
Muhammad Nura Madugu, who chairs the Sharada-Challawa branch of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in Kano spoke Tuesday during the Association’s visit to the Dangote Group’s regional office in Abuja.
He said local manufacturers will continue to align with progressive government policies designed to stimulate industrial development, promote local content, and position Nigerian companies to compete effectively on the global stage.
Mr. Madugu explained that his members adopt a balanced approach in assessing government policies, weighing their potential benefits and challenges both to member industries and to the nation’s economic development.
According to him, there are numerous business opportunities arising from the various derivatives of crude oil refining by the company, adding that his members are eager to leverage the vast potential created by the Dangote Refinery.
Mr. Madugu said some of the key derivatives obtained from crude oil refining include petrol, diesel, kerosene, jet fuel, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
Others, he said are naphtha, bitumen, lubricating oils, and fuel oil, as well as important petrochemical feedstocks such as linear alkylbenzene (LAB), ethylene, propylene, and butadiene, all of which serve as raw materials to produce plastics, detergents, synthetic fibres, and other industrial goods.
The courtesy visit followed the 2025 MAN Product Exhibition in Kano, an annual event sponsored by Dangote Industries Limited.
He lauded Dangote Group President, Aliko Dangote, for his rare faith and resilience in advancing the Nigerian project
The MAN team also presented Awards of Excellence to Mr. Aliko Dangote and to the Special Adviser on Strategic Relations and Projects to the Dangote Group President, Mrs. Fatima Wali-Abdurrahman.
In her reaction, Mrs. Wali-Abdurrahman expressed the company’s appreciation, adding that Mr. Dangote is passionate about supporting the government in growing and developing the Nigerian economy.
She said the company remains committed to promoting locally made products and driving job creation across the country.
According to her: “We believe that strong linkages between the refinery and local manufacturers will stimulate the growth of ancillary industries, create new value chains, and enhance our collective capacity to meet both domestic and export demands.”
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