A legal expert, Paul Obi, stressed the importance of reviving Nigeria’s public refineries to help alleviate the current economic difficulties in the country.
Obi suggested that the government should have ensured the functionality of at least one or two public refineries before implementing the oil deregulation policy to lessen the negative economic impact on Nigerians.
During an interview after being conferred with the SAN title in Abuja, Obi expressed his opinion on the need for operational public refineries alongside the private Dangote Refinery to provide additional stability to the sector.
He acknowledged the positive step of the government supporting the Dangote Refinery by supplying crude in the local currency to ease pressure on the foreign exchange market.
Obi believed that having functional public refineries would have helped alleviate economic challenges, lower fuel prices, and enhance competition in the industry.
Regarding judicial reforms, Obi showed optimism towards the new Supreme Court rules, anticipating quicker justice delivery in Nigeria with a full complement of 21 Justices to reduce case backlog.
Reflecting on his 34-year legal career and successful attainment of the SAN title on his first attempt, Obi advised aspiring lawyers to diligently adhere to application guidelines to avoid multiple reapplications.