As the Nigeria’s oil company continues to battle operational challenges to run its refineries to meet domestic fuel supply, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Bayo Ojulari, has expressed open appreciation to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, describing it as a critical stabiliser of the nation’s energy system.
Ojulari, who stated this on Wednesday while speaking at a fireside chat titled“Securing Nigeria’s Energy Future” at the Nigeria International Energy Summit 2026 in Abuja, said the Refinery has provided NNPC with much-needed relief amid pressure to maintain fuel supply continuity.
The NNPCL Boss urged Nigerians to also appreciate its impact regardless of personal views about its owner, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, noting that the plant’s operations had drawn applause from participants at the event.
“Thank God for Dangote Refinery. Thank God. Whether you love Dangote, you hate him, say whatever you want to say, Nigerians should thank God for Dangote,” Ojulari said, drawing applause from the audience.
He noted that the coming on stream of the 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery has marked a major relief for Nigeria at a time when legacy state-owned refineries were still struggling to deliver at scale, stressing that beyond capacity, the refinery’s local ownership was equally significant for national energy security.
“Thank God he’s a Nigerian. He’s not someone from another continent or another planet. Despite everything, that gave us an opportunity because we have a refinery that is working,” he said.
Recall that the NNPC under past leadership, and the Dangote Group had previously clashed over issues ranging from crude supply terms and regulatory approvals to pricing and market-dominance concerns, but Ojulari said the current leadership has adopted a more pragmatic approach anchored on collaboration rather than confrontation.
Speaking on the state of the nation’s Refineries, Ojulari disclosed that Nigeria’s state-owned refineries were operating at a “monumental loss” to the country, making his team to stop operations to prevent further value erosion.
He maintained that public anger over the refineries was justified, considering the public funds invested over the years and the high expectations placed on the facilities.
Ojulari explained that the financial reality became clear to his management team, once they began a detailed review of refinery operations, hence the need for the first major decision of his administration to halt refinery operations to prevent further losses and allow for a rapid reassessment.
“We decided to stop the refinery and do a quick check. We planned that if things were lined up, we would reopen and work on them,” he said.
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