Atiku Calls Out Tinubu on Refineries' Problems

Ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu of shifting blame for Nigeria's struggling oil refineries to past governments. He said the current government must explain how it has spent billions of naira on these facilities.

Atiku made this statement through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, on Sunday. He noted that after more than three years in office, the Tinubu administration can no longer blame the past.

He based his comments on financial data from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). According to him, the total liabilities of the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries rose from about ₦4.52 trillion in 2023 to ₦8.67 trillion in 2024.

Atiku pointed out that this increase of roughly ₦4.15 trillion in just one year raises questions about what the government is doing with the refineries and what Nigerians are getting in return.

Losses and Admissions

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress also highlighted a recent admission from NNPCL's Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari. Ojulari said the state-owned refineries had been operating at a "monumental loss" and that their current operations were destroying value.

Ojulari made this statement in February 2026 during a discussion at the Nigeria International Energy Summit in Abuja. He mentioned that NNPCL had stopped operations after realizing that low utilization and financial losses were major issues.

Atiku said this admission showed a contradiction in the Federal Government’s earlier claims about the refinery rehabilitation program. He said, "President Tinubu cannot have it both ways. When the cameras were rolling in November 2024, his government told Nigerians that the Port Harcourt refinery was back."

He continued, "NNPCL announced that it was operating at 70 percent capacity and presented it as an achievement under President Tinubu’s leadership."

Accountability

Atiku challenged Tinubu to take responsibility for both the successes and failures of his administration. He stated, "Mr President, you claimed the refinery when you thought it was working. You cannot disown it now that the smoke has cleared."

He urged the Federal Government to clarify how the refinery obligations increased by more than ₦4 trillion in just one year. He asked, "What exactly did Nigerians receive in return? Where did the money go? Where are the products? Where are the savings Nigerians were promised?"

The controversy arises from years of failed attempts by various administrations to fix Nigeria’s state-owned refineries. The Port Harcourt refinery was said to have resumed operations in November 2024, with NNPCL claiming it was producing petroleum products.

However, doubts remain about the economic viability of these refineries. By February 2026, NNPCL’s assessment showed that continuing operations would lead to more losses, leading to the temporary shutdown of these facilities.

Atiku expressed concern that Nigerians are still paying high prices for petroleum products despite the huge investments in local refining. He said, "Think about what ₦4 trillion could do for Nigeria."

He pointed out that investments could have improved universities, hospitals, roads, electricity, and clean water. He added, "Yet, trillions accumulate around refineries that the government now acknowledges have been losing public resources."

Leadership and Responsibility

Atiku described the situation as “an unforgivable failure of stewardship.” He accused the administration of taking credit for successes while blaming predecessors when things go wrong. He said, "You cannot spend three years claiming credit for everything that appears to work and blaming your predecessors for everything that fails. Leadership does not work that way."

He argued that the refinery issue reflects the overall performance of the Tinubu administration. He said, "President Tinubu’s scorecard after more than three years is increasingly a story of fire and smoke."

Atiku warned that Nigeria cannot afford another four years of what he called “paying for failure.” He insisted that the Tinubu administration should accept responsibility for the liabilities it has created. He said, "Mr President, stop blaming your predecessors. After more than three years, you are no longer merely managing inherited liabilities. You are creating your own."