NNPCL Under Fire as $897 Million Warri Refinery Revamp Collapses
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) is facing intense criticism after the Warri Refinery, which underwent a $897.6 million rehabilitation, shut down barely a month after being declared operational.
According to an April 2025 report from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, the refinery ceased operations on January 25, 2025, due to a critical fault in the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) Main Heater, raising serious safety concerns. This revelation comes after former NNPCL CEO Mele Kyari had proudly announced its revival in December 2024.
Meanwhile, the Port Harcourt Refinery, recommissioned in November 2024, is running at just 37.87% of its capacity, contradicting earlier NNPCL claims of 70% performance. Production records indicate inconsistent output, with significant shortfalls in Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), diesel, and kerosene supply.
Industry experts, including IPMAN’s Chinedu Ukadike and petroleum analyst Bala Zaka, have slammed the ongoing refinery failures, labeling the situation as a waste of national resources. They have called for a state of emergency in the refinery sector, demanding transparency, staff overhaul, and implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act to promote market competition.
Oil expert Dan Kunle went further, branding the entire refinery rehabilitation effort a “scandal,” while criticizing the lack of deliverables during Kyari’s leadership.
Despite government claims of improved energy sufficiency under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the harsh reality is that Nigeria remains reliant on a single major fuel supplier — the Dangote Refinery — as state-run facilities continue to falter.
