By: Bayero Ade
President Bola Tinubu has expressed his delight over the restart of operations at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) in Delta State, which has a capacity of 125,000 barrels per day.
This development was announced by Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), during a visit to the refinery on Monday.
In a statement from Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), President Tinubu described the re-opening of the Warri Refinery as a significant achievement in 2024, further strengthening Nigerians’ confidence in his administration.
According to Politics Nigeria, he highlighted that the restart of the refinery, which follows the November resumption of the Port Harcourt Refinery with a 60,000-barrel daily capacity, demonstrates his administration’s commitment to increasing local refining capacity and positioning Nigeria as a leading hub for downstream industrial activities in Africa.
President Tinubu also acknowledged the crucial role played by former President Muhammadu Buhari in initiating the comprehensive rehabilitation of the country’s four state-owned refineries.
The statement continued:
“Today marks the return of the Warri Refinery, which had been dormant for years. This reinforces President Tinubu’s commitment to ramping up Nigeria’s refining capacity and making the country a central hub for refining activities in Africa. The Buhari administration’s investment in the complete rehabilitation of the four state-owned refineries laid the groundwork for this achievement.”
With the Warri Refinery now operating at 60% capacity, President Tinubu affirmed that the country’s energy security and efficiency goals are progressing as planned. He commended the leadership of NNPCL under Mele Kyari for their dedication to restoring Nigeria’s status as a major oil-producing nation.
“The reopening of the Warri Refinery fills me with joy and gives all Nigerians renewed hope for a prosperous future. This achievement, along with the progress at the Port Harcourt Refinery, demonstrates our commitment to delivering on the promises made to Nigerians. I am pleased that NNPC Limited is fully aligned with my directive to restore all four refineries to full working order,” President Tinubu stated.
The President also urged NNPCL to expedite repairs on the Kaduna Refinery and the second Port Harcourt Refinery, with a capacity of 150,000 barrels per day, to further solidify Nigeria’s position as a key global energy provider.
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