After dem don spend $1.5 billion take repair Port Harcourt Refinery wey fit process 210,000 barrels per day, NNPCL oga, Bayo Ojulari, don talk say to begin run am before dem finish the work na wrong move.
Make we remember say for April 2021, Federal Government give one Italian company, Marie Technimont, $1.5 billion contract to fix the refinery.
By December 2023, NNPC wey Mele Kyari dey lead that time talk say dem don reach 88 percent completion and plan to start full work after mechanical finish before year end.
But na for November 2024 dem begin carry petroleum products comot from the place.
Six months later, for May 2025, dem shut down the refinery again for another maintenance.
Ojulari talk say after dem review the matter, e clear say to operate the refinery before full repair no make sense. E also deny say Dangote Group wan buy the refinery, even though some reports talk so.
Before, for Bloomberg interview during 2025 OPEC Seminar for Vienna, Austria, Ojulari talk say “all options dey table” when dem ask am about selling the refinery.
But NNPC statement wey come out yesterday talk say for town hall meeting wey happen Tuesday for NNPC Towers, Abuja, Ojulari confirm say the company go complete the high-grade repair and keep the refinery.
Ojulari talk say di position no be change of mind, but na based on detailed technical and financial review wey dem dey do for Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Warri refineries
Ojulari talk say di ongoing review show say di earlier decision to start Port Harcourt refinery work before dem complete di full repairs no make sense and e no go yield better value.
Dem still dey make progress for di three refineries, Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Warri but wetin dem see now na say dem need better technical partners wey go help finish and improve di rehabilitation work for Port Harcourt. Because of dat, dem no dey consider to sell am again, say e go cause more value loss.
Di statement still mention say di decision wey Ojulari make to hold onto di refinery make many staff clap for joy. Dem talk say e show say di organisation don enter better business mindset.
Di town hall no just be update meeting, e be chance for people to talk their mind open. All di Executive Vice Presidents come present wetin dey happen for each department Upstream, Downstream, Finance, Business Services, Gas, Power and New Energy. Dem show achievements, talk about wetin dem still dey fix and areas wey need more attention.
NNPC talk say dem dey face di matter with honesty and leadership, and dem don admit say mistake bin dey before. But now, dem don draw clear plan for how dem wan move forward.
Di announcement show say NNPC still dey serious as di main body wey dey manage Nigeria energy infrastructure, and dem ready to finish di repair work and make sure say Nigeria refineries go last well.
E still show say Federal Government dey continue with dem energy security plan and dem no wan sell important assets give outsiders.
People wey attend di meeting talk say dem feel encouraged and motivated by wetin dem hear. Dem describe di atmosphere as hopeful, positive and full of better direction.
As government dey plan to pump another $500 billion into di refineries, Aliko Dangote, wey be Dangote Group president, don talk say e no sure say Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries go ever work well again.
E talk say even with all di money wey dem don spend to repair dem, di refineries fit no function properly. Dangote still mention say na because government no gree sell am di old refineries na im make am build him own Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
Former President Obasanjo don talk say NNPC sabi say dem no fit run di refineries well, even before. E say some investors, including Aliko Dangote, bin pay $750 million to buy di refineries, but President Yar’adua wey come after am cancel di deal.
Obasanjo talk say e go meet Yar’adua tell am say di decision no make sense. Yar’adua reply say NNPC talk say dem fit do am, but Obasanjo insist say dem no fit. E warn say di refineries no go work, and if dem wan sell am later, dem no go even get $200 million for scrap.
E ask why Nigeria dey do this kind thing to itself. E accuse NNPC say dem sabi say dem no fit run di refineries, but dem just dey chop money and continue with corruption. E say for better society, people wey do that kind thing suppose dey jail.
Earlier this year, Obasanjo still talk say over $2 billion don waste on top di refineries and dem still no dey work. E say if company like Shell tell am something, e go believe. E ask say if refinery dey work, why everybody dey run go meet Dangote? E believe say Dangote go make him refinery work and e go deliver.
