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Tinubu demands NNPC Ltd to revamp all refineries
- Commends Kyari on re-opening of Warri Refinery
Sopuruchi Onwuka
President Bola Tinubu has required the national oil company, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) to accelerate repair work on the 110 barrels per day Kaduna Refinery and the 150,000 (bpd) second Harcourt Refinery.
The Warri Refinery is managed by the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC), a strategic business unit of the NNPC Limited.
The president stated that the mandate was necessary to consolidate Nigeria’s position as a global energy provider. He expressed delight “that NNPC Limited is implementing my directive to restore all four refineries to good working condition.”
In expressing pleasure at the re-opening of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company by the NNPC Limited, the President described the feat as another remarkable achievement in 2024 that has strengthened Nigerians’ hope in his administration.
NNPC Limited restarted the Warri Refinery a month after it restreamed the 60,000 Barrels per day Port Harcourt Refinery in November.
In a statement by his spokesman, President Tinubu expressed his administration’s determination to ramp up local refining capacity and make Nigeria a hub for downstream industrial activities in Africa.
It would be recalled that the refineries at Warri and Port Harcourt were working at suboptimal capacity until a change of government in 2014 when all the refineries went down. However, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari awarded the contract for the complete rehabilitation and overhaul of the four state-owned refineries.
President Tinubu noted with confidence that with the 125,000 (bpd) Warri Refinery now operating at 60% capacity, his administration’s comprehensive plan to ensure energy efficiency and security is entirely on course.
He praised the Mele Kyari-led management of the NNPCL for working hard to restore Nigeria’s glory and pride as a major oil-producing country.
“The restart of Warri Refinery today brings joy and gladness to me and Nigerians. The will further strengthen the hope and confidence of Nigerians for a greater and better future that we promised. The development is a remarkable way to end the year following the feat recorded earlier with the old Port Harcourt Refinery. I am equally happy that NNPC Limited is implementing my directive to restore all four refineries to good working condition.
“I congratulate Mele Kyari and his team at NNPCL for working hard to restore our national pride and make Nigeria a hub for crude oil refining in Africa,” President Tinubu said.
WRPC will focus on producing and storing critical products, including Straight Run Kerosene (SRK), Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), and heavy and light Naphtha.
