Group urges FG to allow private investors manage nation’s refineries

From Noah Ebije, Kaduna

A group under the auspices of 1st Citizens Engagement has called for the running and management of the nation’s refineries by private investors.

The group stated this at its conference (North-West edition) held in Kaduna.

The convener of the group, Mallam Nasir AbdulQuadri, said it had become imperative for the Federal Government to allow private investors to manage refineries, while focusing on regulatory functions.

Speaking at the conference in Kaduna, which centred on “The Positive Impact of Oil and Gas Reforms by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu,” AbdulQuadri said the government’s role should be to create an enabling environment and regulate the oil sector, not to run commercial enterprises.

He said the deregulation of the oil industry was already yielding positive results, citing the progress recorded in the Dangote Refinery as an example of what private ownership can achieve.

“When we say reform in the oil sector, it’s about government taking its hand out of business. It’s not the government’s duty to run business, but to regulate it. For decades, public refineries have failed to deliver results, but one man started something recently and we are already seeing 650,000 barrels per day capacity,” he said.

AbdulQuadri explained that the conference was designed to bridge the information gap between government and the public, ensuring citizens understand ongoing reforms and their long-term benefits.

“The conference is about bringing people together and reawakening their civic duty to hold leaders accountable,” he said. “Many Nigerians are unaware of the positive steps being taken in the oil and gas sector, and this ignorance often breeds misinformation and chaos.”

He urged Nigerians to be patient with the ongoing reforms, noting that though they may be tough, they are necessary to eliminate corruption and foster sustainable growth.

“When we deregulate, we kill corruption. The subsidy era allowed a few people to enrich themselves at the expense of everyone else. Now, the sector is open and transparent, and every Nigerian has a stake in its success,” he said.

He also called for unity among citizens, stressing that national progress requires collective effort beyond ethnic or religious divisions.

“In this country, we don’t have Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba; we don’t have Muslim or Christian, only good and bad people,” he said. “Good Nigerians must work together against those using tribe and religion to divide us. If we do that, Nigeria will be great.”