The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has successfully restarted operations at the Warri Refining & Petrochemicals Company (WRPC) in Warri, Delta State, which has a production capacity of 125,000 barrels per day.
The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, disclosed this milestone during a facility tour on Monday. Kyari noted that while the refinery is not yet operating at full capacity, significant progress has been made to bring the plant back online after a deliberate shutdown.
“This plant is running. Although it is not 100 per cent complete, we are still in the process,” Kyari stated. “Many people think these things are not real. They think real things are not possible in this country. We want you to see that this is real.”
Kyari credited the achievement to the determination of the NNPCL team and their collaboration with contractors, adding that the restart marks a critical step toward meeting President Bola Tinubu’s vision of making Nigeria an exporter of petroleum products.
“This plant has three stages. We have started stage one, called Area 1, which is able to produce AGO (diesel), kerosene, naphtha, and other high-quality products required in the country. We will also be able to export them,” Kyari explained.
He further highlighted the progress in other refinery projects, including the Port Harcourt Refinery, which recently resumed operations with a 65,000 barrels per day capacity, and ongoing work at the Kaduna Refinery.
“We have proved that it is possible to restart a plant that you deliberately shut down,” Kyari said. “Kaduna is also on stream. We are not going to give you a date, but we will surprise you.”
With the ongoing efforts, the NNPCL aims to enhance the nation’s energy security and reduce reliance on imported petroleum products.
The tour also included the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, underscoring the significance of the development for Nigeria’s energy sector.
