morganABLE politics/Governance
Nigeria’s refineries, located in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna, have for decades operated far below capacity, despite repeated rehabilitation efforts and billions of naira spent on maintenance.
KaNo —
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday pledged to revive Nigeria’s moribund refineries, stressing that their return would be anchored on efficiency, profitability, and value creation rather than the wasteful operations that characterised their performance in the past.
The President made this known while receiving the Executive President of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Salimon Oladiti, alongside members of the union, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Addressing long-standing concerns over the stalled rehabilitation of state-owned refineries, Tinubu assured the delegation that his administration was committed to restoring the facilities to full functionality.
However, he emphasised that mere activity would not be mistaken for productivity under his leadership.
“The refineries you mentioned are going to come back to work,” Tinubu said.
“We’re just building a very firm reset and structural reworking of the economy. Ordinary flame and smoke of a refinery doesn’t mean it’s working, until it’s profitable and yields the value for which it is built.”he added.
Nigeria’s refineries, located in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna, have for decades operated far below capacity, despite repeated rehabilitation efforts and billions of naira spent on maintenance.
Non-Functional Refineries Promoting Reliance On Import
The facilities’ poor performance has contributed to the country’s reliance on imported petroleum products, a situation successive administrations have struggled to reverse.
Tinubu linked the planned refinery revival to a broader economic reform agenda his administration has pursued since assuming office in 2023.
Recalling a tense engagement with labour leaders years earlier at Akodo Resort in Lagos, Tinubu said he had been clear from the outset about his position on subsidy removal.
“You may strike all you want, but fuel subsidy will be gone,” he recounted telling union leaders at the time. “Today, to the benefit of our great country, I will soon publish the utilisation of what it is.”
President Tinubu Insists Subsidy Removal Revived Nigeria’s Economy
President dismissed claims that subsidy removal had disproportionately hurt ordinary Nigerians, arguing instead that the policy had improved fiscal stability and enabled increased funding for development projects.
He cited regular salary payments across federal, state, and local governments as one of the gains.
“Who are the people receiving the salaries in the local government administration? Are they not common Nigerians? The ordinary people receiving salary at the federal level regularly,this affects all the market women around us,” he said.
Tinubu further highlighted ongoing investments in road infrastructure as evidence of the benefits of fiscal reforms.
“I’m glad you have seen the effect of being able to find funding for long-term projects, the Lagos-Ibadan Road, Abuja-Kaduna, Abuja-Kano, Sokoto-Badagry, and many other road networks,all for the good of our economy and the safety of our people,” he stated.
In addition to refinery reforms, the President addressed concerns about the adoption of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as an alternative fuel source. While acknowledging the cost savings associated with CNG conversion, he urged vehicle and truck owners to pass on the benefits to commuters.
“We will encourage you, but ask your drivers to let it trickle down to the commuters too,” Tinubu said. “Whatever benefit that is coming from CNG is going into the pocket of truck owners. It’s not spreading as fast as I would like, but it should spread.”
President Tinubu Reaffirms Commitment To Economic Stability
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to economic recovery, stating that he had taken full responsibility for addressing Nigeria’s challenges regardless of their origins.
“I’ve accepted the assets and liabilities of my predecessors,” he said. “It’s my responsibility now, as President, to fix it and make it work for the largest common value of our population. I take responsibility for that, and I’m going to do it.”
The President also appealed to organised labour for patience and continued cooperation, acknowledging the difficulties inherent in governance.
“It’s not easy to manage a democratic regime full of twists and turns, hills and valleys,” he said. “But through perseverance, endurance, and good determination, we can bring about lasting relief. I promise you, you will enjoy a better Nigeria.”
Earlier, NUPENG President Salimon Oladiti raised several issues affecting workers in the oil and gas sector, particularly the growing trend of casualisation in the upstream segment.
He described the practice as exploitative and called for urgent government intervention.
“Our relationship with international and indigenous oil companies has been cordial,” Oladiti said.
“However, we want to bring to your attention an unhealthy trend casualisation of workers which we have tried to correct with little success.”he added.
He noted that both NUPENG and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) had exercised restraint to avoid industrial disruptions, despite mounting frustrations among workers.
“We have engaged the management of some of the affected companies without results,” he added. “We urge you, Mr President, to use your good offices to stop this practice.”
Oladiti clarified that the union’s concerns were not directed at the Minister of Labour, whom he described as responsive and supportive.
On infrastructure, the NUPENG leader commended the administration’s road rehabilitation efforts, noting that improved highways have significantly enhanced the safety of tanker drivers.
“For our members, a good road is the difference between arriving home safely and never arriving at all,” he said.
“This is a reform our members feel directly, and we appreciate it.”
“We strongly recommend that the Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company depots be handed over to private investors under an equity arrangement,” Oladiti said, arguing that such a model would improve efficiency and sustainability.
Additionally, he called on the President to ensure compliance with the Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to local governments, describing it as critical to grassroots development.
The meeting underscored ongoing engagement between the federal government and labour unions as Nigeria navigates a complex transition in its energy and economic policies.
