The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has come under intense scrutiny as petroleum marketers and industry stakeholders publicly accuse the company’s leadership of neglect and mismanagement in the ongoing rehabilitation of the nation’s refineries.
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has openly criticized the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC, Mr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, for what it describes as a lack of commitment toward reviving the Port Harcourt refinery. The refinery, shut down on May 24, 2025, for scheduled repairs, has reportedly witnessed very slow progress, raising alarm among downstream stakeholders.
Sunny Nkpe, PETROAN’s Zonal Chairman for Eastern Zone, disclosed that his recent visit to the Port Harcourt refinery rehabilitation site revealed alarming delays and minimal activity. “Contractors complained of being owed for over 12 months,” Nkpe stated, lamenting the absence of any visit or hands-on oversight from the NNPC GCEO since his appointment four months ago.
Nkpe emphasized that repairs on critical units, such as the cracking and blending plants of Units 12 and 14, were nearly complete before Ojulari took office. However, the current stagnation and lack of funding have effectively halted progress, which could potentially benefit private refineries by allowing them to dominate the market and exploit consumers with higher fuel prices.
He warned that thousands of petroleum tanker drivers and marketers have suffered job losses due to the refinery’s shutdown and called for urgent intervention to restart operations. “Reviving the Port Harcourt refinery will stabilize petroleum product prices and reduce private refinery dominance,” Nkpe added.
Nkpe urged President Bola Tinubu to prioritize the revival of the Port Harcourt refinery, cautioning that the delays might be orchestrated by vested interests intent on sabotaging the administration’s vision. He recalled that when the refinery was operational for seven months earlier this year, economic activities surged, jobs were created, and fuel prices remained stable.
Despite initial optimism following Ojulari’s appointment — a Shell Oil Plc technocrat — the slow pace of rehabilitation efforts has disappointed many in the sector. Nkpe indicated that stakeholders would deliberate on further actions, including whether to call for Ojulari’s removal, but affirmed continued support for the Tinubu administration’s reform agenda.
In a related development, two northern advocacy groups—the Arewa Community for Empowerment and Development and the Arewa Consultative Youth Movement—filed a lawsuit against NNPC’s Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Dapo Segun. The suit, filed at the Federal High Court in Kaduna, accuses Segun of direct supervisory responsibility for the failed rehabilitation of national refineries and the controversial acquisition of OVH Energy.
The groups claim that billions of naira have been spent without meaningful outcomes, leaving Nigeria reliant on imported petroleum products. They demand Segun’s investigation, prosecution, and removal from office, accusing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) of shielding him while allegedly targeting other northern executives.
Kabiru Yusuf, President of the Arewa Consultative Youth Movement, condemned what he called “selective justice” and insisted on equal accountability. The legal action seeks an order compelling the EFCC to investigate Segun’s role in the refinery projects and the OVH Energy deal and to mandate his suspension pending the outcome.
Nigeria’s refineries, located in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna, have long struggled with inefficiency, operating well below capacity for years. Despite a $1.5 billion rehabilitation plan announced in 2021 and subsequent multi-million-dollar contracts, none of the refineries have returned to full production.
NNPCL has historically maintained a near-monopoly on petroleum imports, though partial deregulation has begun to open the downstream market. The 2022 acquisition of OVH Energy was heralded as a strategic move to expand NNPCL’s downstream footprint, but the deal remains controversial amid ongoing governance concerns.
The public criticism and legal challenges facing NNPC’s leadership underscore widespread dissatisfaction within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. As marketers, tanker drivers, and advocacy groups press for swift reforms, the government faces growing pressure to ensure the rehabilitation of refineries is completed effectively to reduce import dependency and stabilize fuel supply.