- NNPC CEO Bayo Ojulari vows to revive Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries.
- Private sector and stakeholders urge the sale of refineries, but Ojulari rejects the calls.
The revival of NNPC refineries has become a central issue in Nigeria’s energy sector. Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Bayo Ojulari, assured Nigerians that the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries will return to full operation. He dismissed claims by Dangote Group President, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who argued that the plants might never function again.
Ojulari spoke at the Energy and Labour Summit organised by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) in Abuja. He emphasised that Nigeria’s economic future outweighs personal interests. Moreover, he explained that NNPC remains fully committed to driving the revival of its refineries despite years of setbacks.
For decades, the refineries struggled to function even after massive government spending. Although the Port Harcourt and Warri facilities reopened briefly last year, they shut down again for maintenance. Consequently, these repeated failures increased public doubts and strengthened calls for their sale.
Meanwhile, private sector groups, including the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and petroleum marketers, urged the government to privatise the facilities. Ojulari, however, rejected their proposals and insisted that the refineries remain vital to Nigeria’s energy strategy.
In July, Dangote argued that the refineries had consumed nearly $18 billion under NNPC management without results. Interestingly, Ojulari admitted in a Bloomberg interview in Vienna that past investments had not produced meaningful outcomes. Nevertheless, he added that ongoing reviews would help NNPC adopt a new and more effective approach.
At the PENGASSAN summit, Ojulari struck a firmer tone. He declared, “We are determined! We are determined to make sure our refineries work. We have been conducting detailed reviews and applying every lesson learned.”
Therefore, his remarks reinforced a renewed push for the revival of NNPC refineries as the company aims to prove critics wrong and restore the long-idle plants to full operation.