Tinubu Vows to Revive Nigeria’s Refineries After Structural Reset

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured that Nigeria’s refineries will be revived and repositioned to operate profitably, saying the Federal Government will undertake a comprehensive review and restructuring of the facilities.

Tinubu gave the assurance on Thursday in Abuja when he received the national executive of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), led by its National President, Comrade Salimon Akanni Oladiti, at the State House.

The President said the government would not allow the huge investments made in the refineries over the years to go to waste, stressing that their revival would be based on detailed research, technical assessments and a sustainable restructuring plan.

He explained that simply restarting a refinery was not enough, noting that the facilities must be capable of operating efficiently, generating value and making profits.

“The refineries that you mentioned are going to come back to work; we’re just building a very firm, resetting, and structural reworking of the economy of it. Ordinary flame and smoke of a refinery doesn’t mean that it’s working until it’s profitable and yields the value for which it is built,” Tinubu said.

The President said he had accepted responsibility for fixing the challenges inherited from previous administrations and would work to ensure the refineries serve the interests of Nigerians.

“No matter what has happened in the years past, it’s now my responsibility as president to fix it and make it work for the greatest common good of our population,” he added.

Tinubu also assured the labour union that constitutional issues surrounding the implementation of local government autonomy were being reviewed, with a view to possible adjustments, while appealing for the understanding of stakeholders.

He recalled his relationship with the late former NUPENG President, Frank Kokori, whom he credited with contributing to Nigeria’s democratic struggle.

The President further promised greater inclusion of NUPENG in the implementation of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), challenging the union to ensure that the benefits of the programme translate into tangible relief for commuters.

Earlier, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, commended NUPENG for acknowledging what he described as the positive outcomes of the Tinubu administration’s reform agenda.

Idris said the recognition by the union had helped to reduce friction between organised labour and the government, particularly following major reforms such as fuel subsidy removal and wage adjustments.

He described NUPENG’s appreciation of the administration’s infrastructure projects and other reforms as significant, noting that trade unions rarely return to government to openly acknowledge policies they consider beneficial.

The NUPENG President, Oladiti, in his remarks, praised Tinubu for taking the decision to remove fuel subsidy, describing it as a courageous step that had saved the country from prolonged financial drain.

He said the resources freed by the policy were being channelled into infrastructure and other critical sectors.

Oladiti particularly commended the Federal Government’s road construction and rehabilitation projects, citing the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the 1,068-kilometre Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway.

He said improved roads were particularly important to NUPENG members, especially tanker drivers, as better highways would reduce accidents, fuel spillages and loss of lives.

However, the union leader urged the President to sustain efforts to revive the nation’s refineries, stressing that functional refineries would improve energy security, reduce dependence on imported petroleum products and create more employment opportunities.

At the end of the meeting, NUPENG leaders decorated President Tinubu as the Grand Patron of the union.