ONC Welcomes Nigeria Oil Refining Summit 2026, Hails Aradel Holdings Plc

The leadership and entire members of the Orashi National Congress, ONC, the apex socio-cultural organization of Orashi people in Rivers State, has welcomed Nigeria Oil Refining Summit, NORS 2026, and commended Aradel Holdings Plc for its role at the event.

The ONC noted with great satisfaction the announcement by Aradel Holdings Plc that its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Producers Group, IPPG, Mr. Adegbite Falade, delivered the Opening Keynote Address – Upstream Perspective at the Summit.

The Summit, hosted by the Crude Oil Refinery-owners Association of Nigeria, CORAN,  held from September 28 to 29, 2026, at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, with the theme: “Refining for Value: Linking Upstream Supply to Downstream Demand.”

As a people who host enormous oil and gas assets that power the Nigerian economy, the Orashi National Congress views NORS 2026 as a critical platform for frank discussions on local refining capacity, energy security, value addition and the survival of host communities.

“We are particularly pleased that a company like Aradel Holdings Plc, which has shown commitment to indigenous capacity and community development, will be providing upstream perspective at the summit. We believe Mr. Falade’s insights will help bridge the long-standing disconnect between upstream production and downstream refining, a disconnect that has kept Nigeria as a crude exporter but fuel importer for too long,” the statement read.

The ONC called on all stakeholders – the Federal Government, CORAN, IPPG, IOCs and indigenous operators – to ensure that resolutions from NORS 2026 translate into:

1. Increased support for modular and local refineries in the Niger Delta;
2. Genuine inclusion of host communities in the energy value chain;
3. Policies that strengthen local content and create jobs for teeming youths.

The Congress wished CORAN and all participants a successful and impactful summit, reaffirming its commitment to support any initiative that promotes a resilient, inclusive and prosperous energy future for Nigeria.