The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has invited former President Olusegun Obasanjo to embark on a tour of the Port Harcourt Refinery (PHR) following his earlier criticism.
NNPCL offered the invitation to Obasanjo on Thursday in a statement signed by the company’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer (CCCO), Olufemi Soneye.
Soneye was responding to Obasanjo’s claims in a recent interview with Channels Television, where the former president suggested that the Port Harcourt Refinery would not function effectively.
“We invite our esteemed former president to join us in this effort as we continue to deliver energy security for our nation and provide tangible benefits to Nigerians. His wisdom and experience are invaluable, and we assure him that his advice will always be welcomed and appreciated,” he said.
“Furthermore, we extend an open invitation to President Obasanjo for a tour of the rehabilitated refineries to witness firsthand the progress made under the new NNPC Limited.
“As part of this transformation, NNPC Limited has gone beyond oil and gas to become an integrated energy company. One of our notable achievements is the complete rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PhRC) and Warri Refinery.
“We welcome President Obasanjo to witness the transformation of the Port Harcourt Refinery. This is not a mere Turnaround Maintenance, but a comprehensive overhaul aligned with global standards.”
Soneye added that the revitalisation of refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna underscores the company’s commitment to Nigeria’s energy security.
He explained that this process was not merely the Turnaround Maintenance (TAM) of the past but a full-scale overhaul designed to meet world-class standards.
Similarly, he said the NNPCL is currently conducting the same comprehensive rehabilitation of the old Port Harcourt Refinery and Kaduna Refinery.
“Regarding his (Obasanjo’s) recent comments, we would like to respectfully clarify the current state of the NNPC. The NNPC has undergone a transformative journey, evolving from a government corporation into a private entity, NNPC Limited,” Soneye said.
“This transition has marked a significant shift from being a loss-making organization to a profit-oriented global energy company. We deeply respect and hold President Obasanjo in the highest regard as a distinguished statesman who has contributed significantly to the progress of our nation.
“We remain grateful for his leadership and enduring commitment to the growth and development of Nigeria. Together, we can continue to build a brighter future for our great nation.”
Soneye added that there is no iota of truth in the media reports that the NNPCL has stopped the supply of crude oil to Dangote Refinery, saying: “No need to respond to falsehood.”
Obasanjo had said that the NNPCL once rejected Aliko Dangote’s $750 million offer to manage and end Nigerian refineries’ woes through a public-private partnership.
Recounting failed efforts to privatize the country’s refineries and the subsequent financial losses under government management on ChannelsTV, Obasanjo revealed that his successor had refunded Dangote’s money after NNPC officials assured him that the refineries could only be managed by them.
“Aliko got a team together and they paid $750m to take part in PPP (Public–Private Partnership) in running the refineries. My successor refunded their money and I went to my successor, I told him what transpired, he said NNPC said they wanted the refinery and they could run it and I said but you know they cannot run it,” he said.
Obasanjo explained how he sought external help to rehabilitate and manage the facilities but faced resistance, recalling: “I asked Shell to come and run it for us and Shell said they wouldn’t. I said, Please come and take equity; they said no. I said okay, don’t take equity, come and run it, they said no.
“Later on, I called them. I called the boss of Shell to come and tell me what the problem was and he gave me four or five reasons. He said, first of all, they make a major profit from upstream, not from downstream. He said they run downstream just to keep their head above water.
“Two, our refineries were too small: 60,000 barrels, 100,000 barrels, and I think 120,000 barrels. He said that at that time, the average refinery was going for 250,000 barrels.
“Three, he said our refineries were not well maintained. Four, he said that there was too much corruption around the activities of our refinery and they would not want to get involved in that.”
