Warri Refinery Resumes Operations at 60% Capacity, NNPC Targets Full Revival
By Okafor Joseph Afam | December 30, 2024
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has announced the resumption of operations at the Warri Refining & Petrochemicals Company (WRPC) in Delta State. The refinery, with a production capacity of 125,000 barrels per day, is currently operating at 60% capacity.
Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC, disclosed this during a visit to the refinery on Monday.
“We are taking you through our plant. This plant is running. Although it is not 100% complete, we are still in the process. 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,” Kyari said before touring the facility.
Located in Ekpan, Uwvie, and Ubeji areas of Warri, the WRPC has an annual production capacity of 13,000 metric tons of polypropylene and 18,000 metric tons of carbon black. Commissioned in 1978, the refinery was designed to serve the southern and southwestern markets of Nigeria.
Kyari lauded the commitment of the team behind the plant’s revival, stating:
“I must congratulate our team for their determination and extreme belief that this company can restart this plant. This has brought the result we are seeing in collaboration with our contractors. We have proved that it is possible to restart a plant that was deliberately shut down.”
Highlighting the facility’s output, Kyari explained:
“This plant has three stages. We have started stage one, called Area 1, which produces AGO (diesel), kerosene, naphtha, and other products. These are high-quality brands required in the country. We will also be able to export them, making money to meet the president’s promise that Nigeria will become an exporter of petroleum products.”
The progress at the Warri refinery follows a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to restore the country’s three refineries. Kyari confirmed the successful initiation of crude refining at the old Port Harcourt Refinery and revealed that Kaduna’s refinery is also advancing.
Although the WRPC’s mechanical completion was initially planned for Q1 2024, Kyari assured stakeholders that the ongoing efforts demonstrate the NNPC’s commitment to restoring Nigeria’s refining capacity.
This marks a significant step in Nigeria’s bid to reduce dependency on imported petroleum products and fulfill the government’s vision of becoming a net exporter of refined petroleum.
