The Energy Reforms Advocates of Nigeria, in collaboration with the All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth Vanguard for Change, have criticized the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) for its inability to restore the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries, despite substantial investments.
At a press conference held in Abuja on Friday, the groups expressed concern over the NNPCL’s persistent delays and warned the corporation, led by Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari, against the importation of allegedly adulterated fuel.
They lamented that the rehabilitation projects, despite promises of progress, remain stagnant. According to the groups, Kyari has repeatedly assured Nigerians of imminent refinery operations, but these assurances have yet to materialize.
Citing the approved $1.5 billion for the Port Harcourt Refinery in 2021 and an additional $1.4 billion for the Warri and Kaduna refineries, the groups questioned the lack of tangible results from these investments.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Opialu Fabian alleged that some interests within the NNPCL may be deliberately obstructing progress to sustain the highly profitable fuel importation business.
“The inability to restore our refineries has left Nigerians at the mercy of endless fuel queues, skyrocketing pump prices, and inflation,” Fabian said.
“This unfortunate dependency on fuel imports has drained our foreign reserves, weakened the naira, and imposed hardship on millions of citizens.”
He also criticized NNPCL’s reliance on repeated excuses such as equipment obsolescence, corrosion, and incomplete baseline data for structural integrity.
Fabian recalled that Kyari had promised on March 15 that the Port Harcourt Refinery would resume production by the end of the month.
“Sadly, this promise was not fulfilled. Nigerians deserve to know whether these statements are made in good faith or merely to offer false hope.”
The groups emphasized that Nigeria, as Africa’s largest oil producer, should not depend on imported petroleum products for domestic consumption.
They argued that restoring the refineries would lower fuel prices, conserve foreign exchange, and stabilize the economy.
“The energy sector is a vital pillar of our nation’s prosperity,” Fabian added. “However, the NNPCL’s leadership has continued to prioritize importation over local refining, which drains the economy and destabilizes our currency.
It is time for decisive action to halt these damaging practices and restore Nigeria’s energy independence.”
The groups called on the federal government to intervene and ensure the immediate completion of the refinery projects, urging greater accountability from NNPCL’s management.
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