Civil society organizations under the umbrella of Partners for National Economic Progress staged a protest in Port Harcourt on Thursday, demanding urgent action to end alleged sabotage in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
The demonstration carried the theme, “National Unity Against Sabotage: Reclaiming Our Petroleum Sector for the People.”
Mr. Danesi Momoh, convener of the protest and the Niger Delta Youth Council, said the aim was to stop activities undermining the petroleum industry.
He urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure adequate crude oil supplies to the Dangote Refinery and other domestic refineries at fair prices, citing Section 109 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA 2021), which mandates local crude supply to domestic refineries.
Momoh praised President Tinubu for fostering a conducive business environment and resisting attempts by oil cartels to impede the operations of the Dangote Refinery.
He called on the president to continue his leadership in combating economic sabotage within the petroleum sector.
Similarly, Mr. Olamide Odumosu, convener of the Patriotic Youth Forum of Nigeria, called on the president to intervene in crude oil supply challenges.
He alleged that some government agencies have misused the “willing buyer, willing seller” clause of the PIA to obstruct supply to local refineries.
Odumosu highlighted the Dangote Refinery’s ongoing expansion, which would increase its refining capacity from 650,000 to 1.4 million barrels per day, positioning it as the world’s largest refinery.
He emphasised that this growth strengthens Nigeria’s economy by boosting GDP, employment, trade balance, and foreign exchange earnings while reducing dependency on imported refined petroleum products.
He noted that ensuring a steady supply of crude to domestic refineries is a non-negotiable responsibility for the government, and called on President Tinubu to take immediate action to guarantee it.
