By IDNN Business Desk
The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), Bayo Ojulari, has warned that the corporation is “under attack” from powerful interests resisting reform.
Ojulari said the Ojulari NNPC under attack refinery revival strategy would not be derailed, stressing that change always comes with resistance.
“We are under attack. We will not budge to short-term pressure. You cannot drive change without a price, and the transformation is tough. But we will not betray Nigerians’ trust,” Ojulari declared at the NNPC Towers in Abuja.
The GCEO explained that his management team, in office for just five months, has placed the revival of Nigeria’s refineries at the centre of its agenda. He said the strategy, built on an Incorporated Joint Venture model, will ensure sustainability.
“Mr. President doesn’t pressure me to do the wrong thing. That is why we are working on a baseline to make sure the refineries function sustainably. We won’t pretend with a quick fix. Nigerians deserve refineries that last,” Ojulari added.
The Ojulari NNPC under attack refinery revival plan has already gained the support of oil workers’ union PENGASSAN. Its national president, Festus Osifo, commended Ojulari’s leadership and promised full cooperation.
“Our pipelines are now working. Crude theft has reduced. Production has increased. As PENGASSAN, we assure you we are solidly behind this management team,” Osifo said.
Ojulari insisted that reforms are facing sabotage from entrenched interests that profited from inefficiency, subsidy regimes, and theft. Analysts say his “under attack” claim reflects the high stakes in Nigeria’s oil sector, where reforms have repeatedly failed.
Despite the challenges, the NNPC chief called for public patience, saying the benefits of refinery revival would not be immediate.
“We want to get it right this time. Nigerians deserve a refinery system that works, not one that collapses after a quick patch,” he stressed.
Observers note that if the Ojulari NNPC under attack refinery revival plan succeeds, it could mark a decisive break from decades of failed turnarounds that cost the country billions.
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