Warri Refinery Shuts Down Barely a Month After NNPCL Declared It Operational, Sparking Outrage Over $897 Million Repair Costs and Raising Fresh Integrity Concerns
Operators and industry experts have raised alarm over the integrity and operational efficiency of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) following the shutdown of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) barely a month after it was declared operational.
A report obtained by NEWS REVIEW from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) revealed that the Warri refinery, which reportedly consumed $897.6 million in maintenance costs, ceased operations on January 25, 2025, due to safety concerns in its Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) Main Heater.
The shutdown came weeks after former NNPCL Group CEO, Mele Kyari, declared the refinery operational on December 30, 2024. Experts described the situation as “disheartening,” especially given the extensive resources pumped into the project over the years.
Further investigation showed that the Port Harcourt Refining Company, which resumed operations in November 2024, has also struggled to reach its projected capacity. Though NNPCL claimed the facility was operating at 70 percent, official data shows actual output averaged just 37.87 percent over a six-month period.
The 125,000 barrels-per-day Warri refinery, located in Ekpan, Uwvie, and Ubeji areas of Warri, was originally commissioned in 1978 to serve Nigeria’s southern and southwestern markets. It boasts an annual production capacity of 13,000 metric tonnes of polypropylene and 18,000 metric tonnes of carbon black.
President Bola Tinubu had earlier commended the company for its role in revamping the refinery, aligning the effort with his administration’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” focused on energy sufficiency and economic revitalisation.
During a media tour, Kyari insisted the revitalisation was real, noting, “This plant is running. Although not 100 percent complete, the revitalisation is genuine.” However, data from NMDPRA contradicts this claim, confirming that the plant has remained shut since January 25, 2025, citing critical safety risks.
Meanwhile, the Port Harcourt refinery’s performance has been erratic. Despite a $1.5 billion rehabilitation funded through international loans, its production fell significantly short of its monthly 218 million-litre capacity. In November 2024, the plant produced just 9.51 million litres—merely 24.9 percent of its potential. Although output increased in December and January to 108 million and 120.91 million litres respectively, utilisation never exceeded 42.2 percent capacity.
By April 13, 2025, the refinery had managed only 44.24 million litres—35.7 percent of its monthly target. Notably, while diesel production surged to nearly one million litres daily in March and April, Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) output dropped to zero.
This performance falls short of earlier projections by NNPCL, which had promised daily outputs of 1.4 million litres of PMS, 900,000 litres of kerosene, and 1.5 million litres of diesel, among others.
In Warri, data shows minimal output prior to the shutdown: 1.96 million litres of diesel and 2.84 million litres of kerosene in December 2024, and 10 million litres of diesel with 12 million litres of kerosene in January 2025.
Despite inquiries, NNPCL spokesperson Femi Soneye declined to respond to NEWS REVIEW’s request for comments. In a previous statement, however, Soneye attributed the shutdown to routine maintenance aimed at ensuring operational efficiency. He dismissed reports of an explosion as “completely false.”
“The intervention works are essential to ensure the production of specification-finished products,” he said, assuring that WRPC would return to operations “within a few days.” As of press time, the refinery remains shut.
Reacting to the development, Chief Chinedu Ukadike, National Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), called for an immediate overhaul of Nigeria’s refinery sector.
“It’s disheartening that a refinery which gulped huge funds was shut down in less than two months. That’s a total waste. People must be held accountable,” he said. Ukadike urged President Tinubu to declare a state of emergency on the refineries and conduct a thorough audit of staff and operations.
He also criticised the monopoly currently held by Dangote Refinery in petroleum product supply, warning it undermines market competitiveness. “This is bad business. The real competition is absent,” he said, adding that deregulation can only work when multiple sources are available.
Similarly, petroleum expert Bala Zaka said the inability of the refineries to impact fuel prices renders the claimed progress meaningless. “If prices of diesel and petrol haven’t dropped, then all the technical talk doesn’t count,” he said.
However, Zaka opposed calls for privatisation, arguing that state-owned refineries can still thrive if managed properly, just like in other OPEC nations.
Adding his voice, oil and gas analyst Dan Kunle described the rehabilitation efforts at Port Harcourt and Warri refineries as a “scandal.” Speaking during an online panel discussion, Kunle criticised the former NNPCL leadership, particularly Mele Kyari, for what he called “propaganda projects” that failed to deliver real value.
“The team created wealth for themselves, not for the country,” Kunle said. He praised the appointment of Bayo Ojulari as a long-overdue and welcome move, expressing hope that the new leadership would prioritise competence and transparency.
As industry stakeholders continue to demand accountability, Nigerians remain sceptical about the government’s ability to restore the refineries to full capacity. For many, the lingering inefficiencies and inconsistencies signify a broader failure in managing the nation’s critical energy infrastructure.
With billions invested and little to show, pressure continues to mount on NNPCL and the federal government to deliver not just words, but results.
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