Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Society of Energy Editors, SEE, has challenged the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, to demonstrate that the country’s state-owned refineries still have a viable role in Nigeria’s energy future, amid the rapid rise of privately-led refining capacity spearheaded by the Dangote Group.
In a statement issued in Lagos, the SEE described the Dangote Refinery’s planned expansion to 1.4 million barrels per day, bpd, by 2028 as “transformational,” but warned that it risks making government refineries “obsolete relics” unless NNPCL delivers on its long-delayed rehabilitation plans.
“The question now is not whether Dangote can refine,” the SEE said, “but whether the NNPCL refineries can ever compete in efficiency, scale, and accountability. These assets must either work or make way for better options.”
According to the editors, the contrast between Dangote’s speed and the NNPCL’s inertia underscores a deeper problem of state inefficiency. They described the endless cycle of refinery turnarounds as “a graveyard of public trust.”
“For decades, billions of dollars have been spent on Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries, yet none produces a single litre of fuel,” the statement added. “Meanwhile, one private investor has redefined the map of Africa’s refining capacity.”
SEE urged the government to provide Nigerians with verifiable data and timelines on the progress of rehabilitation work, especially in the Port Harcourt refinery, which has repeatedly missed deadlines.
“Beyond press statements and ceremonial visits, Nigerians deserve transparent milestones. When will crude distillation actually begin? What percentage of the plants is operational? These are legitimate questions that require clear answers,” the group emphasized.
The editors argued that the state must clarify whether its long-term goal is to compete with the Dangote refinery or to integrate its assets into a broader national refining network that complements private efforts.
“If NNPCL sees Dangote as competition, then it must compete on merit, not monopoly,” the SEE cautioned. “But if it seeks synergy, then let that vision be clearly communicated with supporting policy frameworks.”
The Dangote expansion has shifted Nigeria’s refining strategy, potentially reducing the economic justification for continued public spending on unproductive facilities.
“The country cannot afford sentimental investments. The market is changing fast,” one senior industry source noted, adding that “the government must rethink its role from operator to regulator.”
SEE concluded that the ultimate test of Nigeria’s refining future lies not in announcements but in barrels. “The time for excuses has expired,” it said. “Nigeria must decide whether its refineries are relics of the past or assets for the future.”
