Tinubu Vows 'Structural Reset' to Revive State Refineries, Presses CNG Truck Owners on Pricing

Receiving the national executive of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) in Abuja on August 13, 2026, President Bola Tinubu pledged that Nigeria's moribund government-owned refineries 'are going to come back to work,' describing a comprehensive restructuring of their economics rather than another round of turnaround maintenance. On the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion program, Tinubu acknowledged that expected fare and freight savings were 'going into the pockets of truck owners' rather than reaching commuters, and urged operators to pass benefits down the chain. The remarks come as the administration continues to lean on non-oil growth and alternative fuels to offset years of underperforming state refineries alongside the privately built Dangote facility.