Despite $18bn Down the Drain, Tinubu Talks Tough, Vows to Revamp PH, Warri, Kaduna Refineries

…Says Refineries Will Not Be Allowed to Waste Away, Promises Structural Reset to Make Them Profitable

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday vowed that the Federal Government would revive Nigeria’s three state-owned refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna, insisting they would not be allowed to waste away despite decades of failed rehabilitation efforts that have consumed an estimated $18 billion in public funds.

The President said his administration would pursue a comprehensive restructuring of the country’s refining assets, stressing that the objective was not merely to restart operations but to ensure that the facilities become commercially viable and deliver value to Nigerians.

Tinubu made the pledge while receiving the National Executive Council of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), led by its National President, Comrade Salimon Akanni Oladiti, at the State House in Abuja.

Responding to an appeal by the union for the rehabilitation of the nation’s refineries, the President said his administration was adopting a systematic and evidence-based approach that would address the deep-rooted structural, operational, financial, and managerial problems that have crippled the facilities over the years.

He said the government would commission detailed technical assessments and research to determine the most sustainable path to restoring the refineries to profitability.

“The refineries that you mentioned are going to come back to work. We’re building a very firm resetting and structural reworking of the economy around them. Ordinary flame and smoke from a refinery does not mean it is working until it is profitable and delivers the value for which it was built,” Tinubu said.

The President acknowledged the burden inherited by his administration but said he had accepted both the assets and liabilities of previous governments and would take full responsibility for fixing the country’s refining sector.

“I’m not a man who goes looking back on everything because I’ve accepted the assets and liabilities of my predecessor. Whatever has happened in the years past, it is now my responsibility as President to fix it and make it work for the greatest common good of our population. I take responsibility for that, and we will do it,” he declared.

Nigeria has spent billions of dollars over successive administrations on repeated turnaround maintenance and rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries, yet the facilities have remained largely idle, forcing the country to depend heavily on imported petroleum products until the emergence of large-scale private refining capacity by Dangote Industries.

Tinubu also appealed to Nigerians to continue supporting democratic governance, describing democracy as a difficult but rewarding journey.

He said although reforms often involve painful adjustments, they would ultimately produce lasting benefits for the country.

“I appeal to all of you to let us work diligently and passionately on this democracy. Democracy is about the celebration of freedom and opportunity that must be cherished by all of us. Like painful childbirth, the joy is everlasting. I promise you that you will enjoy a better Nigeria,” he said.

On the issue of local government autonomy, the President disclosed that constitutional questions surrounding the implementation of the policy were still being reviewed, adding that the Federal Government was examining possible adjustments to ensure smooth implementation.

He also paid tribute to the late former NUPENG President, Frank Kokori, describing him as one of the leading figures in Nigeria’s struggle for democracy.

Tinubu recalled their collaboration during the pro-democracy movement and praised NUPENG for its longstanding contribution to democratic governance.

The President further promised greater involvement of the union in implementing the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Initiative, while urging labour leaders to ensure that the benefits of cheaper alternative fuel reached ordinary commuters.

Earlier, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, commended NUPENG for publicly endorsing the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, describing the union’s support as an uncommon development in Nigeria’s labour relations.

He recalled that organised labour had previously applauded the President after he approved a new national minimum wage and assured workers that wage reviews would not necessarily have to wait five years.

According to the minister, NUPENG’s recognition of the administration’s policies, including fuel subsidy removal and ongoing nationwide infrastructure projects, reflected growing confidence in the government’s reform programme.

In his remarks, NUPENG President Salimon Oladiti described the removal of fuel subsidy as a courageous decision that had ended decades of financial waste and protected Nigeria’s public finances.

He argued that savings from the subsidy regime were now being redirected towards critical infrastructure and national development.

Oladiti particularly praised the Federal Government’s road construction programme, citing the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway as major projects that would improve safety and reduce operational risks for tanker drivers and other road users.

He, however, urged the President not to relent in efforts to restore the country’s refineries, saying operational refining plants would enhance Nigeria’s energy security, reduce dependence on imported petroleum products and create more employment opportunities for Nigerians.

At the end of the meeting, the NUPENG leadership decorated President Tinubu as the Grand Patron of the union in recognition of what it described as his commitment to reforms in the petroleum sector.