LAGOS JULY 13TH (URHOBOTODAY)-As Nigeria continues to grapple with the challenges of fuel importation and its impact on the economy, it is baffling that the nation’s refineries remain dormant — despite decades of promises and billions of naira reportedly spent on Turn Around Maintenance (TAM). One such national asset is the Warri Refinery, a once-thriving industrial powerhouse located in the heart of Delta State.

The continued outsourcing of refinery rehabilitation to foreign companies is not only a wasteful practice but also a vote of no confidence in Nigerian engineers and companies. I challenge the Federal Government: Warri Refinery can be revived by competent engineering companies right here in Warri.

I say this not as a sentiment but as a fact rooted in decades of experience. Warri is home to some of the most seasoned engineers, technicians, and oil servicing firms in the entire West African region. These professionals have served with distinction in multinationals like Shell, Chevron, and Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC). They are familiar with the terrain, the technology, and more importantly, the culture of the refinery itself.

Why then do we constantly overlook these homegrown professionals in favor of foreign companies who neither understand our local context nor offer long-term value beyond expensive consultancy fees?

Let’s be clear: this isn’t just about national pride. It’s about economic sense, local content development, and national security. Engaging Nigerian firms to fix our refineries saves the country millions in foreign exchange,

empowers our local economy,creates jobs for our unemployed youths,and builds technical self-reliance.The federal government must break this cycle of dependency and stop the systemic sabotage of local talent. If a local firm can build modular refineries in Nigeria with private capital and no foreign aid, why should the same government claim that only foreign firms can fix existing state-owned refineries?

We cannot continue this pattern of colonial industrial thinking — where every technical problem must have a foreign solution. It is time to trust Nigerian engineers, particularly those in Warri and the Niger Delta region who have devoted their lives to the oil and gas sector.

I call on the Senate, the Federal Ministry of Petroleum, and the NNPC Ltd to urgently reassess their approach. Enough of international contracts that never yield results. Let us put faith in Nigerian hands to solve Nigerian problems.

We can fix the Warri Refinery — and we can do it with Warri-based engineers.

Chief Sunny Onuesoke, environmentalist and managing partner, Das Energy

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