Former Senator representing Bayelsa East, Ben Murray-Bruce, has urged President Bola Tinubu to take decisive action to restore Nigeria’s government-owned refineries to sustainable and commercially viable operations.
Murray-Bruce, who is also the founder of Silverbird Group, made the call in a post on his official X handle on Tuesday, expressing concern over the continued challenges facing the country’s state-owned refining assets.
He questioned why Nigeria, despite its huge crude oil reserves, has continued to rely heavily on imported refined petroleum products after spending billions of naira on efforts to rehabilitate its refineries.
The former lawmaker specifically referenced the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries, which are owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd).
His comments come amid renewed efforts by the Federal Government to find sustainable solutions to the long-running problems affecting the facilities. In April 2026, NNPC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with two Chinese companies for a potential technical equity partnership to support the completion, operation and expansion of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.
The Port Harcourt Refinery, which briefly resumed operations in November 2024, later faced operational setbacks and was shut down again in 2025. Warri has also experienced repeated attempts at restarting production, while the Kaduna refinery remains under rehabilitation.
Murray-Bruce argued that Nigerians have become tired of repeated explanations over the inability of the country’s refineries to operate consistently.
He called on President Tinubu to appoint a competent manager capable of delivering measurable results, stressing the need for individuals who would remain focused on performance and accountability.
According to him, Nigeria needs people who “wake up every morning obsessed with results” if the country is to turn its refining sector around.
The former senator said restoring the refineries would not only strengthen domestic petroleum production but also help reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported refined products and improve the commercial viability of its oil assets.
His intervention adds to growing calls for the government to ensure that billions committed to refinery rehabilitation translate into reliable production and tangible benefits for Nigerians.
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