Atiku Reacts as NNPCL Announces Plan to Hand over Warri, Kaduna Refineries to Private Operators
- Former VP Atiku Abubakar has reacted to the NNPCL's plan to hand over operations and maintenance of its Warri and Kaduna refineries to private operators
- Atiku's reaction comes after he was previously criticised for proposing the privatisation of the refineries during his presidential campaigns
- However, President Bola Tinubu's aide, Dada Olusegun, clarified that the NNPCL's move is different from Atiku's privatisation plan
Abuja, FCT - Nigeria's former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has reacted to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) 's plan to hand over the operations and maintenance of its Warri and Kaduna refineries to private operators.
The NNPCL recently announced plans to engage private operators to operate and maintain the two refineries.
Source: Getty Images
The Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, built in 1978, has a distillation capacity of 125,000 barrels per day (bpd) and produces polypropylene and carbon black. The Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, operational since 1980, has an expanded capacity of 110,000 bpd.
NNPCL: Atiku Abubakar's cheeky reaction
Former Vice President Atiku, who proposed privatising the refineries during his presidential campaigns, reacted to the news with a smile emoji on his X account.
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The move by the President Bola Tinubu-led administration echoes Atiku's earlier proposal, which was met with criticism.
The NNPCL's announcement signals a shift in the government's approach to refinery management, aligning with Atiku's previously criticised proposal. The move follows the Petroleum Industry Act, which transformed the NNPC into a public limited company.
Tinubu's aide replies Atiku
Meanwhile, President Tinubu's special assistant on social media, Dada Olusegun, has replied to the former VP, explaining that the NNPCL's move differs from Atiku's privatisation plan.
He posted on X:
"Relax Alhaji (Atiku), there is a wide difference between Outright sales and the O&M deal. We are not selling it to our friends as you indicated in many of your past interviews.
"Trust us not to cave into your longtime wishes to sell this prized asset as you did to some of Nigeria's assets during your tenure as the Vice President of our dear country."
Dangote Refinery begins petrol production test run
In a related development, Dangote Refinery is reportedly conducting petrol test runs ahead of its scheduled petrol production in September 2024.
The facility is expected to release petrol into the Nigerian market in September after delays and deadline misses, which it blamed on crude oil supply challenges.
The 6550,000 bpd-capacity refinery, owned by Aliko Dangote, one of Africa's wealthiest men, has only produced diesel and distillate fuels.
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