Tinubu vows to revive refineries after reset, as NUPENG backs reforms

By Adebola Isimijola, Lagos

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured that Nigeria’s refineries will be revived after a comprehensive reset and restructuring, saying the facilities would not be allowed to waste away despite the challenges confronting them.

Tinubu gave the assurance on Thursday, August 13, 2026, in Abuja, when he received the National Executive of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), led by its National President, Comrade Salimon Akanni Oladiti, at the State House.

The President said the Federal Government would adopt a systematic and evidence-based approach to addressing the structural, operational, financial and managerial challenges affecting the refineries, rather than resorting to short-term interventions.

“The refineries that you mentioned are going to come back to work; we’re just building a very firm, resetting, and structural reworking of the economy of it,” Tinubu said.

He stressed that the mere presence of flames and smoke from a refinery was not sufficient evidence of functionality, noting that the facilities must operate profitably and deliver the value for which they were established.

According to him, detailed research and technical assessments would be conducted to identify the problems affecting the refineries and develop sustainable solutions.

“No matter what has happened in the years past, it’s now my responsibility as president to fix it and make it work for the greatest common good of our population. I take responsibility for that, and we will do it,” he said.

Tinubu also appealed to Nigerians and other stakeholders to remain committed to democracy, assuring that the country would ultimately experience better days.

On local government autonomy, the President said the constitutional issues surrounding its implementation were being reviewed for possible fine-tuning, while appealing to stakeholders for understanding.

He also paid tribute to the late former NUPENG President, Frank Kokori, recalling their shared struggle for the restoration of democracy in Nigeria.

“You brought good memories of my relationship with Frank Kokori; may his soul rest in peace. We struggled for this democratic dispensation together, and it was very tough for us to have this democracy,” Tinubu said.

The President further promised greater inclusion of NUPENG in the implementation of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), while challenging the union to ensure that the benefits of the programme reached ordinary commuters.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, commended NUPENG for acknowledging what he described as the positive outcomes of the administration’s reform agenda.

Idris said the development was significant, noting that the mutual understanding between the government and organised labour had helped to reduce friction.

He recalled that Tinubu had earlier approved a wage increase for Nigerian workers and told labour unions that they would not have to wait five years before seeking a review of the minimum wage.

The minister said it was uncommon for trade unions to return to the President to express appreciation for government policies, describing NUPENG’s position as an indication of the impact of the administration’s reforms.

He specifically cited the removal of fuel subsidy and the ongoing construction of major infrastructure projects across the country as areas where the reforms were producing visible results.

Speaking earlier, NUPENG President, Oladiti, commended Tinubu for taking what he described as the bold decision to end the fuel subsidy regime.

According to him, the policy had saved the country from decades of financial drain and depletion of national reserves, while freeing resources for critical infrastructure and other sectors of the economy.

Oladiti particularly praised the administration’s renewed attention to federal highways, citing the ongoing 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the 1,068-kilometre Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway as major infrastructure projects.

“For our members, a good road is the difference between arriving home safely and never arriving at all,” he said, adding that rehabilitated and newly constructed roads would reduce accidents, spillages, fatalities and stress for tanker drivers and other road users.

The NUPENG leader, however, appealed to Tinubu to sustain efforts to revive the nation’s refineries, stressing that functional refineries would strengthen Nigeria’s energy security, reduce dependence on imported petroleum products and create more opportunities for Nigerian workers.

The NUPENG executives later decorated President Tinubu as the Grand Patron of the union.