Afe Babalola, a renowned elder statesman and Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, has publicly criticized the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited’s (NNPC) monopoly on petrol sales from the Dangote refinery .
He expressed his dissatisfaction with the recent hike in petroleum prices, urging the government to avoid policies that might turn Nigerians into beggars.
Babalola emphasised the importance of free trade, suggesting that allowing Dangote to sell petrol directly to Nigerians at his own rate would lead to lower fuel prices .
He advocated for a competitive market, stating, “Let all those who can afford to put up refineries do so and sell to people. The prices of fuel will come down. There should be no monopoly on NNPC dictating prices.”
The elder statesman received the ‘Outstanding Achiever of All Times Award’ from the Ekiti Kete Coalition United States of America, a diaspora group, and used the opportunity to call on the government to make life worth living for Nigerians.
He highlighted Nigeria’s potential, saying, “There is no country that is as blessed as Nigeria. There is no reason why Nigeria must not succeed as a country.”
Babalola also thanked the diaspora group for the honor, emphasising the importance of appreciation and recognition. The Ekiti Kete Coalition USA Chairman, Joe Olugbamila, praised Babalola’s contributions to the development of Ekiti State and renewed the call for the state government to establish ‘Afe Babalola Day’ in his honor.