NNPC to Resuscitate Nigeria’s Refineries — Port Harcourt, Warri, Kaduna Set for Total Transformation
In a landmark move aimed at reviving Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity and ending decades of dependence on imported fuel, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has commenced a comprehensive technical and commercial overhaul of the country’s three major refineries Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna.
The development, announced by the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Mr. Bayo Ojulari, signals what industry experts are describing as a “decisive new chapter” in Nigeria’s energy sector.
According to Ojulari, the review goes far beyond routine repairs and maintenance, focusing instead on modernization, efficiency, environmental compliance, and profitability. He described the initiative as “the beginning of a new era in Nigeria’s refining sector,” reaffirming the government’s commitment to restoring public confidence in the nation’s energy infrastructure.
At the core of the initiative is a process known as “high-grading”, which seeks to convert aging refinery assets into high-performance, commercially viable facilities capable of meeting local fuel demand and competing across the African market.
To achieve this, NNPC has begun talks with a number of Technical Equity Partners (TEPs) international operators who will bring in technical expertise and capital investment to support the transformation. The company emphasized that all partnerships will be governed by strict transparency, accountability, and value-for-money principles.
The review, led by a joint team of internal and external experts, will evaluate the technical, financial, and commercial viability of each refinery, providing a detailed roadmap for rehabilitation, upgrading, or potential repurposing.
This initiative aligns with Nigeria’s National Energy Strategy, which aims to ensure energy security, stimulate industrial growth, and create thousands of jobs across the oil and gas value chain.
Once completed, the overhaul is expected to restore Nigeria’s refining independence, significantly reduce fuel importation, and reposition the country as a self-reliant energy powerhouse driving sustainable economic development under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Industry stakeholders have hailed the move as a bold step capable of transforming Nigeria’s refining landscape and unlocking new investment opportunities in Africa’s largest oil-producing nation.
With the world watching, the NNPC’s refinery overhaul could mark the long-awaited dawn of a new era of efficiency, transparency, and self-sufficiency in Nigeria’s energy sector.
