Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has issued a stern call on the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to ensure that the freshly signed partnership with Chinese firms for the rehabilitation of the Warri and Port Harcourt refineries delivers tangible results, warning that Nigerians will no longer tolerate another round of political announcements without visible progress. In a statement on Thursday, the National President of NUPENG, Salmon Oladiti, welcomed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the NNPCL with the Chinese companies Sanjiang Chemical Company Limited and Xingcheng (Fuzhou) Industrial Park Operation and Management Co., Ltd. However, he tempered this commendation with a stark warning against a repeat of past mistakes. Oladiti stated that the continued failure of local refineries has inflicted severe economic hardship on Nigerians, contributing to rising fuel prices, pressure on foreign exchange, inflation, unemployment, and the nation’s overdependence on imported petroleum products.
The NUPENG president lamented that workers and ordinary citizens have continued to bear the burden of unstable fuel supply, soaring transportation costs, and worsening living conditions caused by the country’s inability to sustain local refining capacity. He noted that the agreement with the Chinese firms presents an opportunity to restore public confidence in Nigeria’s refining industry, create employment, stimulate industrial growth, strengthen energy security, and reduce the economic strain associated with fuel importation. However, he warned that this opportunity must not be squandered. “Nigerians are tired of repeated refinery rehabilitation promises and projects that consumed huge public resources without delivering lasting results,” Oladiti stated. He urged all stakeholders involved in the agreement to ensure transparency, accountability, professionalism, and timely execution.
Oladiti further stressed that the revival of the Warri and Port Harcourt refineries must not end as another political announcement but should translate into real economic relief for Nigerians battling difficult economic realities. The MoU, signed in Jiaxing City, China, on April 30, 2026, followed more than six months of technical and management-level engagements. The proposed framework is a Technical Equity Partnership (TEP) focused on completing outstanding rehabilitation works and operating and maintaining both facilities for efficient and sustainable performance. The Warri and Port Harcourt refineries have remained largely inactive for years, despite several turnaround maintenance efforts, leading to widespread frustration over the continued reliance on imported fuel in an oil-rich nation. The NUPENG statement reflects a growing national appetite for accountability and signals that the era of rewarding endless cycles of unfulfilled promises is coming to an end.
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