From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has lauded the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) for the successful revival of the Port Harcourt refinery, which officially resumed petroleum product loading on November 26, 2024.
This is even as he has directed NNPCL to expedite the reactivation of both the second Port Harcourt refinery and the Warri and Kaduna refineries to bolster local refining capacity.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu expressed his heartfelt congratulations to NNPCL for this significant achievement.
In alignment with his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to achieving energy sufficiency and enhancing Nigeria’s export capacity.
He stated that his administration is determined to repair the nation’s refineries, aiming to eradicate the disheartening perception of Nigeria as a major crude oil producer that lacks the ability to refine its own resources for domestic consumption.
The President acknowledged the critical role of former President Muhammadu Buhari in initiating the comprehensive rehabilitation of the nation’s refineries and thanked the African Export-Import Bank for its financial backing.
The President emphasised the importance of this milestone, saying, “These efforts will significantly enhance domestic production capacity alongside the contributions of privately owned refineries and make our country a major energy hub, with the gas sector also enjoying unprecedented attention by the administration.”
Tinubu also praised NNPCL’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, for his leadership, stating, “His unwavering dedication was instrumental in overcoming challenges to achieve this milestone.”