The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) is facing fierce criticism as the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, despite gulping $897.6 million in refurbishment, has been shut down since January 25, 2025—barely weeks after it was declared operational.
The shutdown was attributed to critical safety issues in the refinery’s Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) Main Heater, according to a document from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
“This is disheartening,” said Chinedu Ukadike, spokesperson for the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria. “A refinery that gulped a whole lot of money was shut down in less than two months. That is a total waste.”
The Port Harcourt refinery isn’t faring much better. Despite being touted as operational since November 2024, it has been running below 40% capacity.
While NNPCL previously claimed 70% output, the NMDPRA’s data shows actual output has hovered between 24% and 42% of capacity from November 2024 to April 2025.
Production of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) — Nigeria’s primary fuel — has seen wild fluctuations, peaking at 41.76 million litres in January before dropping to zero by March and April. Meanwhile, diesel production surged, raising questions about product focus and refinery efficiency.
Bala Zaka, an energy expert, slammed the lack of real impact on pump prices: “If the price of diesel, petrol, and cooking gas doesn’t reduce, then all the technicalities don’t make any sense.”
NNPCL has so far declined to comment on the latest findings. In February, spokesperson Femi Soneye insisted the Warri shutdown was for routine maintenance. But experts aren’t convinced.
“This is not a technical glitch — this is a management failure,” said oil analyst Dan Kunle. “The so-called revamp was nothing but media propaganda. Mele Kyari’s tenure was full of uncompleted projects and empty declarations.”
He praised the recent appointment of Bayo Ojulari as a much-needed reset: “Ojulari’s appointment is the best decision Tinubu has made in the oil sector. It came late, but it’s welcome.”
Calls are mounting for a total overhaul. “The President should declare a state of emergency on our refineries,” Ukadike urged. “We can’t continue with this mono-source model that hands all the power to Dangote.”
