Former presidential aide and social commentator, Reno Omokri, has said Nigeria’s decline from being Africa’s top petrol importer is a positive sign of economic progress and growing self-sufficiency in refining and exports.

Speaking to journalists on Friday during a tour of the Dangote Refinery, Omokri explained that South Africa has now overtaken Nigeria as the continent’s largest petrol importer, while Nigeria has become the biggest exporter of refined petroleum products in West Africa.

“What’s more important as a Nigerian is the value of the money that you have,” Omokri said. “The naira will only have value when we produce and export, not when we depend on imports.”

He noted that the shift marks a “360-degree turnaround” in Nigeria’s fuel trade, crediting increased refining capacity and reduced dependence on imported petroleum as key factors driving the change.

“As a matter of fact, Nigeria is now the largest exporter of petroleum products in West Africa,” he added.

Omokri emphasized that true economic growth lies in production and productivity, not just higher nominal wages or currency adjustments.

“It’s better for Nigerians to earn ten thousand naira that has real value — that can buy goods, pay rent, or even afford a car — than to earn a million naira that isn’t backed by production,” he explained.

He urged the government and labour unions to focus on building an economy rooted in industrial growth, exports, and productivity, rather than pushing for wage increases unconnected to real output.

“Whether you’re in government, labour, or the private sector, what matters most is creating real value. That’s the only way to strengthen the naira and grow the economy sustainably,” Omokri concluded.