We’re Just Throwing Away Money, Warri, PH, Kaduna Refineries Can Never Return to Full Operation, Insists Kelvin Emmanuel
Energy analyst, Kelvin Emmanuel has expressed skepticism about the rehabilitation of Nigeria’s refineries, describing recent commissioning events in Warri, Port Harcourt, and Kaduna as a “charade.”
Speaking live on Arise News, Emmanuel claimed that the facilities are unlikely to return to full operation despite the federal government’s multi-billion-dollar investments.
“I’m not surprised,” Emmanuel said. “For months, I’ve maintained that Warri, Port Harcourt, and Kaduna refineries are never going to come back to operation.”
He referenced a decision made on August 12, 2021, during the previous administration, when the Regulatory Council approved $2.96 billion for turnaround maintenance across the three refineries: $1.48 billion for Port Harcourt, $897 million for Warri, and $586 million for Kaduna.
According to Emmanuel, these funds could have been used to construct a brand-new 60,000-barrel-per-day refinery rather than attempting to revive decades-old infrastructure. He noted that the last of the three refineries was completed in 1989, with Shell and British Petroleum playing roles in their original development.
He further explained that the Warri and Port Harcourt refineries were originally built as modular facilities to produce low pour fuel oil (LPFO) and automotive gas oil (AGO) to support upstream operations—not for comprehensive refining. “They do not have catalytic reforming units,” he said, referring to essential equipment needed to convert naphtha, a base compound from crude oil, into high-value products like premium motor spirit (PMS).
With Warri and Port Harcourt refineries having capacities of 125,000 and 110,000 barrels per day respectively, Emmanuel emphasized that without proper reforming infrastructure, the facilities are ill-equipped to meet Nigeria’s domestic fuel demands.
The remarks add to growing public scrutiny over Nigeria’s energy sector spending and the long-standing inefficiencies within the state-run refinery system.
