President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s #NigeriaFirst Policy, his administration’s economic rallying cry for national industrial sovereignty is facing its first major test as civic and economic groups mount pressure on the government to defend the Dangote Refinery against what they call “a concerted sabotage of Nigeria’s energy independence.”

At a Grand National Solidarity Rally in Lagos, leaders of the Yoruba Council Worldwide (YCW) and the Nigeria Coalition Group (NCG) urged the President to take “decisive, protectionist action” in support of the refinery, describing it as “the true anchor of the Renewed Hope economy.”

The protest, held at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Alausa, drew civil society coalitions and labour activists who warned that a network of import cartels, aided by oil unions, was working to frustrate the refinery’s operations and return Nigeria to its dependency on imported fuel.

For the groups, the standoff between the Dangote Refinery and key oil unions — notably PENGASSAN, NUPENG, IPMAN, and DAPPMAN — goes beyond corporate rivalry; it is the litmus test of Tinubu’s determination to enforce a nationalist industrial policy that puts domestic production above foreign-linked interests.

“President Tinubu’s 15 per cent import duty on petroleum products was a revolutionary step, but it has provoked an underground resistance from those who profit from Nigeria’s weakness. This is the moment for him to prove that the #NigeriaFirst Policy is not a slogan but a creed of governance,” the YCW President, Aare Oladotun Hassan, said.

Hassan said the groups’ solidarity action was not just in support of Dangote, but in defence of Nigeria’s economic sovereignty. “Those who control the import routes have held the nation captive for decades. Dangote broke their monopoly, and they are striking back. Mr. President must stand firm,” Hassan said.

The coalition called for the allocation of Nigeria’s entire crude oil supply quota to domestic refiners, led by Dangote Refinery, insisting that the 650,000-barrel-per-day plant can satisfy national demand even at partial capacity.

They also urged the government to ban importation of refined petroleum products, revoke existing licences held by oil marketers, and implement Sections 317 and 318 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to ensure preference for local refining and processing.

“Every litre of fuel imported today is a betrayal of the #NigeriaFirst Policy. Nigeria cannot achieve energy security while subsidising foreign refineries through importation,” the statement read.

The groups accused top officials within the NNPCL, NMDPRA, and certain labour unions of colluding with foreign-linked traders to frustrate the refinery’s operations. They cited the alleged withdrawal of crude supply and disruptions in gas deliveries to the facility as part of a “systematic campaign” to cripple its output.

They claimed that a recent instruction by PENGASSAN members to suspend crude flow to the refinery caused losses of over ₦30 billion and heightened fuel scarcity in some parts of the country.

“These are not random incidents. They are deliberate acts of economic subversion. We call on President Tinubu to order an independent probe of every agency and actor involved in sabotaging the refinery project,” Hassan said.

The coalition urged the president to deepen the country’s protectionist policies by raising the import duty on petroleum products from 15 per cent to 200 per cent, or by enforcing a complete import ban.

According to them, this would align Nigeria with global practices in economic nationalism and help replicate the self-sufficiency models that drove industrial growth in countries like China, India, and the United States.

“No country rises by outsourcing its energy security. What Dangote represents is the rebirth of national dignity. The president must not allow bureaucrats or unions to derail that progress,” the statement read.

They also proposed a National Crude Allocation Framework, which would legally bind the NNPCL to supply adequate crude to all domestic refineries at regulated prices to ensure uninterrupted production.

Hassan commended Alhaji Aliko Dangote for investing over ₦2 trillion in refinery operations and logistics, including the recent acquisition of 10,000 fuel tankers for domestic distribution.

He said the refinery—Africa’s largest and the world’s biggest single-train facility—had endured 22 acts of sabotage since inception yet remained steadfast.

“Dangote Refinery is more than a private enterprise. It is the physical embodiment of Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. If the government protects it, it will not only stabilise our fuel supply but also redefine Nigeria’s place in the global energy market,” Hassan said.

With placards reading ‘Fuel our future, not foreign cartels,’ ‘Protect Dangote, empower Nigeria,’ and ‘Tinubu’s policy, Nigeria’s pride,’ the protesters urged the president to stay the course, arguing that energy sovereignty is the cornerstone of national renewal.

“The #NigeriaFirst Policy begins with fuel, because without energy, there can be no industrial future. This is not about one businessman—it is about the Nigerian dream. Dangote is only the symbol,” Hassan told the crowd.

Observers say the refinery controversy may ultimately determine whether Tinubu’s administration can truly deliver on its economic promises.

Analysts believe that a firm stand in favour of domestic refining will cement his nationalist credentials, while compromise with vested interests could weaken public confidence in his economic agenda.

As one protest banner read: “This is not Dangote versus importers. This is Nigeria versus dependency.”