Nigeria, Nov. 17 -- The Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) warned that Nigeria's suspension of the 15 per cent import duty on petrol and diesel could weaken domestic refining, hurt investor confidence and raise pressure on the naira, according to a policy brief issued on Sunday.

On 13 November, the federal government suspended the duty, a charge earlier approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in October 2025. The duty had sparked concern across the oil and gas sector, with operators warning it would push up pump prices, fuel inflation and raise import costs. The measure was intended to encourage local refining and boost revenue.

CPPE said the duty had been introduced to protect emerging refineries, support backward in...