Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), faces mounting criticism as a coalition of over 100 civil society organisations demands explanations for the stalled operations at the Warri Refinery.
Despite a reported $3 billion allocated for its rehabilitation, the refinery remains inactive, raising transparency and accountability concerns.
Operating under the Coalition of Civil Society Groups Against Corruption in the Energy Sector, the organisations have threatened a mass protest at NNPCL’s corporate headquarters if swift action is not taken.
Engr. Efe Irabor, the coalition’s spokesperson, voiced the coalition’s frustrations: “We shall rise against this act of irresponsibility. Nigerian refineries must be put into full function.”
Irabor stressed that Kyari’s leadership has hindered progress in the energy sector, noting how refinery inactivity burdens millions of Nigerians relying on affordable fuel.
He accused NNPCL of undermining competition, particularly citing crude supply issues involving the Dangote Refinery.
“If crude was willingly sold to the Dangote Refinery, it would have reduced fuel prices, easing burdens on the masses,” he added.
The coalition also raised concerns over NNPCL’s alleged plans to transform Warri and Port Harcourt refineries into blending facilities, claiming this conversion could benefit select fuel importers to the detriment of environmental standards and local refinery capacities.
In a decisive move, the coalition has pledged to mobilise a “2 million-man march” to the National Assembly if answers remain elusive, underscoring the public’s demand for transparency in refinery funding and operations.