Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said Nigeria’s state-owned refineries will never function effectively under their current structure.

Obasanjo criticised repeated efforts to rehabilitate the facilities managed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, citing years of failed turnaround maintenance and poor results.

He argued that public-private partnerships or outright privatisation would be more viable for reviving the country’s refining capacity.

The remarks come amid ongoing efforts by NNPC to engage technical partners for the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries, which have struggled with prolonged inefficiency despite significant investment.

Obasanjo’s position adds to growing calls for structural reforms in Nigeria’s downstream oil sector.