Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has criticised Nigeria’s oil sector management, alleging that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) now depends almost entirely on the Dangote Refinery for refined petroleum products.
Falana made the remark during an interview while discussing Nigeria’s energy sector and global developments affecting oil markets. According to him, the situation raises serious concerns about the country’s refining capacity despite the existence of multiple government-owned refineries.
The senior lawyer questioned why Nigeria continues to rely heavily on a single private refinery after billions of dollars had been spent on maintaining state-owned refineries over the years. He noted that about $2.9 billion had reportedly been spent on the rehabilitation of Nigeria’s refineries, yet many of them remain largely inactive.
Falana argued that the heavy dependence on one refinery could pose risks to the country’s fuel supply if any operational challenges arise. According to him, relying on a single source for refined petroleum products reflects poor planning in a country that is one of the world’s major crude oil producers.
Nigeria currently has several state-owned refineries, including facilities in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna, but these plants have struggled for years with operational problems and repeated rehabilitation efforts.
Falana therefore called on the federal government to address the challenges affecting the country’s refining infrastructure and reduce dependence on a single private refinery. He stressed that reviving the nation’s refineries and strengthening local refining capacity would help ensure energy security and prevent future fuel shortages.
His comments come amid ongoing debates about Nigeria’s fuel supply chain, refinery operations and the broader reforms needed in the country’s oil and gas sector.
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