With news of the Dangote refinery receiving its first crude shipment, Nigeria is once again reminded of its moribund refineries.

Development Diaries reports that the first crude shipment that arrived at the Dangote Refinery facility on 07 December, 2023, marked the commencement of fuel production for the refinery.

Although this marks a significant milestone for Nigeria’s oil industry, the government must ensure that state-owned refineries are not left moribund.

President Bola Tinubu, in August 2023, promised that the Port Harcourt refinery would resume operations by December 2023.

It has been over one week into December, and the nation has not been updated on any specific progress made towards the resumption of operations for the refinery.

While the establishment of private-owned refineries is a welcome development, the government must prioritise the rehabilitation of existing local refineries to effectively address Nigeria’s refining challenges.

Nigeria, as a major player in the global oil industry, has long grappled with the challenge of meeting its domestic petroleum output.

The country, endowed with abundant oil resources, has historically relied on the importation of refined petroleum products due to the underperformance of public refineries.

It is time for the government to reduce the emphasis on how the establishment of a private-owned refinery is a solution to the country’s refining woes and rather reevaluate its priorities and redirect efforts towards the rehabilitation of existing local refineries.

This is the only way sustainable energy security and economic development can be achieved.

Recently, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, revealed that over five kilometres of oil pipelines are not working.

A revelation like this further casts doubts on the minds of citizens about the federal government’s ability to fulfil its December promise concerning the Port Harcourt refinery and the others.

Development Diaries calls on President Tinubu, who is also the country’s Minister of Petroleum, and the GMD of NNPCL to pull out all the stops to ensure that the Port Harcourt refinery resumes operations this month.