The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) is under heavy criticism after it was revealed that the Warri Refinery, which cost $897 million to repair, has been shut down since January 25, 2025.
An official document from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority showed that the refinery stopped operations because of safety problems with its Crude Distillation Unit Main Heater.
Industry experts have questioned the transparency and management skills of the NNPCL. Many said it was disappointing that the Warri Refinery, which former NNPCL CEO Mele Kyari had declared operational just a month earlier, could not produce any petrol before shutting down.
An industry expert said, “This is disheartening. After spending such a huge amount of money, the refinery could not even operate for a month.”
The 125,000 barrels-per-day Warri Refinery was officially restarted on December 30, 2024. President Bola Tinubu had praised the company for completing the refurbishment, calling it a step toward energy security.
Kyari had proudly said during the launch, “Many people think real things are not possible in this country. We have proved that it is possible to restart a plant that you deliberately shut down.”
However, the new document showed that the refinery has remained completely closed since January due to serious technical faults.
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Meanwhile, the Port Harcourt Refinery, which resumed operations in November 2024 after a $1.5 billion repair project, is struggling too. Although NNPCL claimed it was running at 70% capacity, the report showed it is operating at less than 40% capacity.
Between November 2024 and April 2025, the Port Harcourt Refinery produced about 82.5 million litres of refined products monthly — far less than the expected 218 million litres.
The NNPCL spokesperson, Femi Soneye, had earlier stated that the Port Harcourt refinery would reach 90% capacity soon. But the latest data showed it barely exceeded 42% at any point and mainly produced diesel rather than petrol.
A detailed review also showed that in March and April 2025, the refinery did not produce any petrol at all. In contrast, diesel production continued to rise.
Despite these issues, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria praised the NNPCL for running the Port Harcourt refinery for 180 days straight.
The association’s spokesperson, Dr. Joseph Obele, said, “It is a remarkable feat that underscores the effectiveness of the rehabilitation project.”
Still, many experts believe the real situation on the ground paints a different picture. They said the refinery’s output figures reveal serious ongoing problems in meeting Nigeria’s fuel needs.
When contacted by reporters, NNPCL’s spokesperson declined to comment on the shutdown of the Warri refinery and the low performance of the Port Harcourt refinery.
President Tinubu had hoped the refinery projects would help Nigeria achieve energy sufficiency. “In alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda focused on shared economic prosperity for all, the President reaffirms his commitment to achieving energy sufficiency and enhancing energy security,” the presidency said in a statement.