A professor of Business Administration and Management at Wellspring University, Benin, Patrick Ohikhena, has advocated the integration of “illegal refineries” into the oil industry, arguing that they should be encouraged as part of efforts to promote local solutions.

He maintained that products from these refineries not only contribute to the national supply of petroleum products but also create employment for neighbouring communities, thereby reducing poverty among producers and consumers.

Ohikhena made this known over the weekend during the 3rd Inaugural Lecture of the university titled, “From Nigeria’s Entrepreneurship Wilderness Experience to Wealth: Overcoming the Five Keys of Retardation Forces.”

The professor identified the re-enactment of Taylorism, the need to embrace digital technology, and the double-edged nature of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics, as well as the dangers of “ghettoising” uneducated third-world workers, as key retardation forces.

He argued that instead of addressing local refiners in derogatory terms, stakeholders should collaborate with them to ensure a steady supply of affordable, locally refined petroleum products.

MEANWHILE, Waltersmith Petroman Oil Limited has marked a major milestone in Nigeria’s push for energy self-sufficiency, announcing the successful expansion of its refinery capacity to 10,000 barrels per day (bpd), a development expected to strengthen domestic refining and reduce dependence on fuel imports.

The achievement came into focus during an official inspection visit by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to the company’s Phase 2 facility located in Ibigwe.

The project is backed by a blend of private and institutional financing, including support from the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and the Bank of Industry (BoI), underscoring the growing viability of public-private partnerships in delivering large-scale energy infrastructure.

Looking ahead, Waltersmith is set to deepen its footprint beyond refining with plans to develop the Waltersmith Industrial and Innovation Park, a Free Trade Zone anchored on gas-to-power infrastructure. The initiative is expected to attract petrochemical and manufacturing investments, in line with Nigeria’s “Decade of Gas” agenda and broader industrialisation goals.

The delegation, led by NMDPRA’s Chief Executive, Saidu Mohammed, alongside representatives of the NCDMB, assessed the operational readiness of the upgraded facility. The Phase 2 expansion effectively doubles Waltersmith’s refining capacity from 5,000 to 10,000 bpd, positioning the company as a critical player in Nigeria’s domestic refining drive.