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Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has reacted to the news that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) is planning to hand over the operations and maintenance of its Warri and Kaduna refineries to private operators.
In a statement shared on its X on Thursday, August 29, 2024, the national oil company stated its intention to engage reputable and credible Operations and Maintenance (O&M) companies for both refineries.
NNPCL explained that the move is aimed at enhancing the efficiency and performance of the two facilities, which have been moribund for years.
Built in 1978 and located in Delta State, the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company boasts a distillation capacity of 125,000 barrels per day (bpd).
Its complex also houses a petrochemical plant with significant production capabilities, including 13,000 tonnes per annum (MTA) of polypropylene and 18,000 MTA of carbon black.
The Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company became operational in 1980 and was meant to serve Northern Nigeria with an initial capacity of 50,000 bpd, which was later expanded to 110,000 bpd.
The facility underwent several expansions, including the addition of a second crude train in 1983 and increased capacity in 1986.
The politics of refineries
The NNPCL announcement is a clear departure from the earlier stance of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the management of the nation's refineries.
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During the campaigns for the 2019 and 2023 presidential elections, Atiku, who represented the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the ballot, was ridiculed for promising to privatise the refineries and the NNPC.
Under former President Muhammadu Buhari, the NNPC became a public limited company following the passing of the Petroleum Industry Act, a move which bore resemblance to Atiku's proposal.
With the latest move to privatise the Warri and Kaduna refineries, it would appear the President Bola Tinubu-led administration has also taken a leaf from the former Vice President's playbook, even though the latter received some flacks for floating the idea.
Reacting to a news post on his X account on Friday, August 30, 2024, Atiku chose a smile emoji to convey his feelings about the development, which can be easily interpreted as mischievous remarks towards the government.