Last week screams rent the air at the NNPC Amphitheatre that bids were transparently opened for offshore processing arrangements and crude oil term contracts. Some petroleum resources managers whose overt or covert actions over the years that smirched the NNPC also smiled broadly with smirks. They took prime airtime displacing scheduled programmes on national television networks (some on live broadcasts) for those ceremonies. Opening of envelopes for tender was what we wasted funds to beam on television and radio to the world as our achievements in the industry.

Preparing for the herald of a new year in global petroleum business is typified byanalysts retreating into the crystal ball game forprice and market projections. As a lay person in crystal gazingmy first thought for 2016wasNigeriain the quagmire of global geopolitical crossfire, and moving unobtrusively into recession.

The validity of the licence to establish a refinery or plant shall be for a period of two years after which it shall lapse.The licensing of 18 private refineries by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005 could not achieve any result as they eventually constituted themselves into the Association of Private Petroleum Refinery Owners of Nigeria.

As we marked Nigeria’s 55th Independence anniversary two days ago in what was low key, we examine with introspection our journey in nationhood and how patriotic or otherwise we have been or would have been in managing our petroleum resources and assets for the greatest good for the greatest number. It is time to acknowledge the fact that management bandwidths are determined by individual capabilities.

Nigeria has now become a Buhari that is very enigmatic when we discuss how and what Nigeria should be, and in which direction she should be headed. In all spheres of Nigeria’s bureaucracy today the mention of that name Buhari conjures the image of a spirit that is everywhereand watching everybody. People now go to work early;though some on their desks actually pretend to be busy doing nothing.