By NIyi JACOBS
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has warned that the continued neglect of the Kaduna Refinery poses growing risks to national unity and economic stability in northern Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the association criticized the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited for failing to deliver on its promises to rehabilitate the 110,000 barrels-per-day facility, calling the prolonged delay “a threat to regional development and national cohesion.”
“Kaduna Refinery is more than just an oil asset—it is a strategic pillar for energy access in the North,” PETROAN said. “Its inactivity undermines fuel supply stability, burdens the region with high logistics costs, and deepens economic disparity between the North and the South.”
The group argued that while attention has been focused on the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, the Kaduna facility has been relegated—despite its critical role in balancing fuel distribution across the country.
PETROAN National President, Billy Gillis Harry, called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene decisively by setting up a special presidential task force to oversee the refinery’s completion. He also urged the urgent appointment of a Managing Director to lead the Kaduna facility, which currently lacks strong leadership.
“If this trend of marginalization continues, it will erode public trust and worsen insecurity. Equitable infrastructure development is key to national peace,” Harry said.
The association called for transparency in the use of funds allocated to refinery rehabilitation, warning that any further delays would not only worsen inflation and energy insecurity but also fuel social discontent in underserved regions.
“The North deserves its fair share of strategic infrastructure. The longer we delay, the greater the cost—economically and politically,” PETROAN concluded.
