The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has confirmed that the Warri Refinery, with a capacity to process 125,000 barrels of crude oil daily, is now operational.
Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, shared this news on Monday during a visit to the refinery in Delta State. He was joined by other officials, including Farouk Ahmed, the head of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
Speaking during the inspection, Kyari said the refinery has begun running, even though some repair work is still ongoing. “This plant is running. Although it is not 100 per cent complete, we are still in the process,” he explained.
Kyari also addressed skepticism about the project, saying, “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.”
The Warri Refinery, located in Delta State, is a significant facility in Nigeria’s petroleum sector. It produces key petrochemical products, including 13,000 metric tonnes of polypropylene and 18,000 metric tonnes of carbon black annually. These products serve markets in southern and southwestern Nigeria.
The refinery was first commissioned in 1978 and has played an important role in the country’s downstream petroleum industry.
Although the facility was initially expected to complete repairs by early 2024, it is now operational ahead of schedule.
This achievement follows the recent start of operations at the Port Harcourt Refinery, which processes 60,000 barrels of crude oil daily.
The Warri Refinery is one of four refineries managed by NNPCL. Others include the Port Harcourt Refining Company in Rivers State and the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company in Kaduna State.
NNPCL says this development is part of its commitment to improving Nigeria’s refining capacity and reducing the country’s dependence on imported fuel.
