The Nigerian government did not approve a plan to sell the country’s four ailing refineries, state media reported Friday quoting presidential spokesman Reuben Abati, contrary to earlier reports that the president had given the green light for the privatization of the plants. “The Federal Government will not sell the refineries. There is no presidential endorsement. Even the minister does not have the powers to sell government’s property,” Abati was quoted as saying in state radio. Nigeria’s state privatization agency, the Bureau of Public Enterprise, on December 21 said it had received approval from President Goodluck Jonathan to proceed with the sale of the four state-owned refineries despite strong opposition and strike threats by the country’s powerful oil unions. “President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the commencement of the privatization of the nation’s four refineries by the BPE. This is in keeping with the [government] agenda, […]