Bashir Ahmad, former aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has suggested that Northern Nigeria might soon need additional petroleum refineries due to significant progress at the Kolmani oil fields.

Ahmad made this statement on Wednesday while responding to an online debate about the economic viability of the Kaduna Refinery, emphasizing that the Kolmani oil fields are now at advanced stages of development.

The conversation began when financial expert Kalu Aja claimed on social media platform X that the Kaduna Refinery was designed to refine imported crude oil, arguing this was not economically sound. Aja questioned why the refinery wasn't built at the coast to eliminate the need for oil pipelines.

"The crude oil pipeline to Kaduna from the gas rich Niger Delta was built in 1980. Why wasn't a gas pipeline built then? Lack of foresight?" Aja wrote.

This claim was challenged by another user, Bello Salleh, who described Aja's assertion as "a mischievous and misleading half-truth."

Supporting Salleh's position, Ahmad criticized Aja for making "unguarded and ill-informed assertions on Nigerian affairs just for the sake of engagement."

"He forgets that facts should always guide our conversations of national importance," Ahmad stated. "Anyway, the reality is, with the progress at the Kolmani oil fields now at advanced stages, the North might soon be in need of additional refineries."

The Kolmani oil fields, located at the border between Bauchi and Gombe states, represent Nigeria's first successful oil drilling project in the northern region. Former President Buhari inaugurated the Kolmani Integrated Development Project in November 2022, marking a significant milestone in the country's effort to expand its oil production beyond the Niger Delta region.

Ahmad's comments highlight the potential economic implications of successful oil exploration in Northern Nigeria, suggesting that infrastructure development, including refineries, may need to follow the progress being made in oil field development.