The Federal Executive Council has formally ordered the full implementation of the previously suspended Naira-for-Crude agreement with local refiners.

The Federal Government said the initiative is not a temporary measure but a “key policy directive designed to support sustainable local refining”.

The government also said the initiative is still in effect and will continue immediately, overruling the decision of the NNPCL under its former boss Mele Kyari which tenured the initiative.

The Minister of Finance Wale Edun at a meeting with representatives of the Dangote Refinery on Tuesday said the naira-for-crude is still in effect.

In a post on its official X handle on Wednesday, the Ministry of Finance said the Technical Sub-Committee on the Crude and Refined Product Sales in Naira initiative met on Tuesday to review progress and address ongoing implementation matters.

The meeting was attended by Edun, the Chairman of the Implementation Committee; the Chairman of the Technical Sub-Committee and Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji; the Chief Financial Officer of NNPCL, Dapo Segun; the Coordinator of NNPC Refineries; Management of NNPC Trading; representatives of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals.

Others at the meeting include senior officials from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), representative of Afreximbank, as well as the Secretary of the Committee, Hauwa Ibrahim.

“The stakeholders reaffirmed the government’s continued commitment to the full implementation of this strategic initiative, as directed by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

“Thus, the Crude and Refined Product Sales in Naira initiative is not a temporary or time-bound intervention, but a key policy directive designed to support sustainable local refining, bolster energy security, and reduce reliance on foreign exchange in the domestic petroleum market.

“As with any major policy shift, the Committee acknowledges that implementation challenges may arise from time to time. However, such issues are being actively addressed through coordinated efforts among all parties.

“The initiative remains in effect and will continue for as long as it aligns with the public interest and supports national economic objectives,” the statement read.