The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has highlighted a renewed push to revitalise Nigeria's refining capacity through strategic partnerships and improved operations at government-owned refineries. PETROAN National President, Dr Billy Gillis-Harry, stressed that timely activation of the refineries is vital for energy security and reducing reliance on imported petroleum products. In a statement issued Friday by National Public Relations Officer Dr Joseph Obele, the association acknowledged reforms within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), particularly under Group Chief Executive Officer Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, now in his first year in office. Gillis-Harry credited Ojulari's leadership for bold reforms, improved transparency, and stronger operational efficiency, noting that structured financial reporting has boosted stakeholder confidence. The association called for sustained engagement with downstream players, urging NNPC Ltd to deepen inclusiveness in product allocation, logistics, and infrastructure planning. Specific recommendations include securing oil pipelines to increase crude production, starting immediate operations at the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, and increasing crude allocation to local refineries. The association also recommended that the GCEO conduct operational visits to the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries to assess progress and reinforce commitment to their functionality.
Dr Billy Gillis-Harry's praise for Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari's first year at NNPC Ltd does not mask the fact that retail petrol availability remains erratic despite all the transparency reports. If refinery operations at Port Harcourt and Warri are still not running months after projected start dates, then commendations mean little to motorists stuck in fuel queues. The real test of Ojulari's reforms lies not in published reports but in whether local refining can finally displace the import dependency that has defined Nigeria's energy failure for decades.
