The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers has urged the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to ensure that the newly signed partnership with Chinese companies for the rehabilitation of the Warri and Port Harcourt refineries produces visible and lasting results.
The union said Nigerians have endured years of unfulfilled promises surrounding refinery rehabilitation projects and are no longer willing to accept repeated assurances without meaningful progress.
President of NUPENG, Salmon Oladiti, made the remarks while reacting to the agreement aimed at reviving Nigeria’s struggling refining sector, describing the development as an important step toward restoring confidence in the country’s oil and gas industry.
According to Oladiti, the persistent collapse and underperformance of Nigeria’s state-owned refineries have continued to deepen economic hardship across the country despite Nigeria’s status as one of Africa’s leading crude oil producers.
He noted that the inability to sustain functional local refining has contributed heavily to rising petrol prices, mounting pressure on foreign exchange reserves, inflation and the nation’s dependence on imported petroleum products.
The labour leader lamented that ordinary Nigerians and workers have borne the consequences of unstable fuel supply, expensive transportation and worsening living conditions linked to the country’s refining challenges.
“Nigerians are tired of repeated refinery rehabilitation promises and projects that consumed huge public resources without delivering lasting results,” Oladiti stated.
He explained that the latest agreement with Chinese firms offers an opportunity to reposition Nigeria’s refining industry, improve energy security and reduce the economic pressure associated with fuel importation.
Oladiti also said successful rehabilitation of the refineries could stimulate industrial growth, create jobs and restore public confidence in the management of the petroleum sector.
However, he warned that the projects must be handled with transparency, accountability and professionalism to avoid another failed intervention after years of massive public spending on turnaround maintenance programmes that yielded little or no improvement.
According to him, Nigerians expect the revival of the Warri Refinery and Port Harcourt Refinery to deliver real economic relief rather than remain political rhetoric.
He further called on the Federal Government and NNPCL to remain committed to strategic partnerships and policies capable of strengthening economic stability and improving citizens’ welfare.
For years, both refineries have remained largely inactive despite several rehabilitation efforts funded by public resources, fueling public frustration over Nigeria’s continued dependence on imported fuel products even as one of the world’s major crude oil producers.