It’s complicated—Ojulari-led NNPCL reveals real challenge with Port Harcourt, Warri refineries
The Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company, Bayo Ojulari, has said the technologies brought in to rehabilitate Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries did not work as expected.
According to him, the old nature of the state-owned oil refinery has made its rehabilitation complicated.
Ojuari made these comments in an interview with Bloomberg published on Thursday at the sideline of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ recent seminar.
He said the NNPCL is considering selling the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries depending on the outcome of its ongoing review planned to be released by the end of December 2025.
“So our refineries, we have made quite a lot of investment in over the last several years and brought in a lot of technologies. We have been challenged that some of those technologies have not worked as expected so far. As you know, refining a very old refinery that has been abandoned for some time becomes a little bit complicated. So we are reviewing all our refineries strategies now. We hope before the end of the year we will conclude the review.
“The review will lead to us doing things differently.”
“What we are saying is that a sale is not out of the question; all the options are on the table. That decision will be based on the outcome of the review.”
His update comes after NNPCL, on May 24, 2025, announced the shutdown of the Port Harcourt refinery for planned maintenance and sustainability assessment.
Meanwhile, President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, while hosting members of Global CEO Africa at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, said that NNPCL refineries may never work again.
DAILY POST recalls that in November and December last year, former GCEO of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, announced the successful rehabilitation and commencement of operations at the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.
It’s complicated—Ojulari-led NNPCL reveals real challenge with Port Harcourt, Warri refineries
