Gbenga Hashim Promises Support for Nigerian Refineries

Dr. Gbenga Hashim, the Accord presidential candidate, declared his administration would support Nigerian refineries, including Dangote Refinery, by allowing them access to Nigerian crude at a strategic domestic price. This policy aims to give local refineries a competitive edge in sub-regional markets and transform Nigeria into a global energy power.

Hashim made this announcement during the Diaspora Dialogue in Ilorin, Kwara State, while addressing issues related to rising petrol prices and global energy market pressures. He criticized Nigeria's historical reliance on crude oil as an export commodity and proposed an "energy first policy" to leverage crude as a foundation for national industrial power.

The initiative will enable Nigerian refineries to purchase crude at local prices, fostering competitiveness and expansion. Hashim emphasized that this strategy is not a subsidy for any single company but a broader Nigerian industrial strategy, benefiting all qualifying refineries.

He also plans to increase domestic refining capacity by one million barrels per day within three years through government investment and joint ventures.