Former Minister of Tourism Femi Fani-Kayode has criticized skeptics questioning the operations of the Port Harcourt Refinery after its recent reopening. He accused certain private sector figures in the oil industry of trying to downplay the refinery’s progress to undermine the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its leadership under Mele Kyari.
This response followed statements from Alesa community stakeholder Timothy Mgbere, who claimed the refinery’s 60,000 barrels per day capacity was not fully operational and described the reopening as superficial. Fani-Kayode dismissed these claims, emphasizing the refinery’s revival as a significant achievement for Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
He highlighted the uniqueness of the oil business, stating it cannot be monopolized like other industries. Fani-Kayode expressed confidence in NNPCL’s future success, urging Nigerians to support both public and private sector growth in the oil industry under President Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.