President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that the country’s government-owned refineries will return to operation following a comprehensive restructuring of the facilities.

The President gave the assurance on Thursday when he received the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), led by its National President, Salimon Akanni Oladiti, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Tinubu said the government was working to restore the refineries to full, sustainable and profitable operations, stressing that simply restarting the facilities would not be enough if they could not operate efficiently and generate value for the country.

The President’s comments come amid renewed efforts by the Federal Government to address the challenges surrounding Nigeria’s state-owned refineries, including the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna facilities.

Refineries Must Become Profitable

Tinubu said the government was undertaking a broader restructuring of the economics surrounding the refineries to ensure that they become commercially viable.

He stressed that the objective was not merely to have the facilities producing fuel, but to ensure that their operations are sustainable and profitable.

The President said the refineries would undergo what he described as a structural and operational reset before returning to sustainable operations.

However, the President did not announce a specific date for when the refineries would resume operations.

This is significant because previous government projections regarding the restart of some of the facilities have repeatedly shifted, particularly in relation to the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.

Government Seeks Sustainable Refining

The Federal Government’s latest position is that the focus should be on fixing the underlying economic and operational problems affecting the refineries rather than simply restarting them without a sustainable business model.

Tinubu’s administration has also continued to promote domestic refining as part of efforts to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products.

The development comes as Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector continues to adjust to increased domestic refining capacity, particularly following the operations of the Dangote Refinery.

No Definite Restart Date

While Tinubu’s latest assurance provides a renewed commitment to reviving the government-owned refineries, the Presidency has not provided a definite timeline for when the facilities will return to production.

The President’s statement therefore represents a commitment to their eventual return to operation rather than an announcement of a specific restart date.

The Federal Government is expected to continue working on the restructuring and rehabilitation of the facilities as it seeks to make Nigeria’s state-owned refineries commercially viable and capable of contributing to the country’s domestic fuel supply.