Port Harcourt, Nigeria — The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has invited former President Olusegun Obasanjo to tour the Port Harcourt Refinery to verify its operational status.
The invitation follows remarks made by Obasanjo during a recent Channels Television interview, where he criticized the management of Nigeria’s refineries and recalled events from his tenure as president.
Obasanjo highlighted a 2007 proposal by billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote and his team to adopt a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model for managing the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries. According to Obasanjo, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) at the time declined the $750 million offer and refunded Dangote’s payment.
“Aliko got a team together, and they paid $750 million to take part in PPP in running the refineries. My successor refunded their money, and I went to my successor and told him what transpired. He said NNPC wanted the refineries and claimed they could run them. I said, but you know they cannot run it,” Obasanjo remarked.
Obasanjo, who served as Nigeria’s president from 1999 to 2007 and as military head of state from 1976 to 1979, has often voiced concerns about the inefficiency of Nigeria’s oil sector.
The NNPCL’s invitation seems to address Obasanjo’s critique, aiming to showcase progress in refinery operations and dispel doubts about its capability.
The statement concluded with a pledge to maintain transparency and accountability in the refinery’s operations.
By Taiwo Olatinwo| January 3, 2025
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