In a recent interview, former President Olusegun Obasanjo reminisced about the challenges faced by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) concerning the nation’s refineries. He mentioned that the NNPC invited him to tour the refineries before he made any criticisms about the government’s initiatives.
Obasanjo recounted his attempts to address issues with the three existing refineries: Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna. He revealed his efforts to engage Shell for their operational expertise, stating, “When I was in office, I sought to improve our refineries, but Shell declined our requests to participate, even after I suggested they take a stake.”
He further elaborated, “The Shell executive explained that they primarily profit from upstream operations and only manage downstream to maintain their viability. He also pointed out that our refineries were too small, poorly maintained, and plagued by corruption, deterring them from getting involved.”
When Shell withdrew, Aliko Dangote expressed interest in a public-private partnership and invested $750 million to operate the refineries. Obasanjo shared, “Aliko assembled a team and made a significant investment, but my successor refunded their investment, believing NNPC could handle operations. I tried to caution him against that belief.”
He claimed that over $2 billion has been wasted on the refineries since then, yet they remain non-functional. “If Shell provided those insights, I’d take their word for it. If anyone asserts that the refineries are operational now, why are they still engaging Aliko? He will make his refinery successful,” Obasanjo stated.
Despite recent claims by NNPCL’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, that operations have restarted at the Warri and Port Harcourt refineries, Obasanjo likened these assertions to a farmer who exaggerates his harvest. “They say after he has harvested 100 heaps of yam, he will also have 100 heaps of lies. You know what that means,” he remarked.
In response, NNPCL spokesperson Femi Soneye extended an invitation to Obasanjo for a tour of the Port Harcourt refinery to witness its operational status firsthand. “We welcome President Obasanjo to visit the rehabilitated refineries and see the advancements we’ve made under the new NNPC Limited,” Soneye stated.
He emphasized that NNPC Limited has transformed from a government body into a private entity focused on profitability, highlighting their comprehensive rehabilitation efforts aimed at achieving international standards across the refineries.
