The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has confirmed that the 150,000 barrels per day (bpd) Port Harcourt Refinery and Kaduna Refinery are undergoing a comprehensive overhaul designed to meet world-class standards.
The company emphasized that the rehabilitation work done at the 60,000 bpd Port Harcourt Refinery and Warri Refinery is not the typical Turnaround Maintenance (TAM) of the past, but rather a thorough overhaul aimed at meeting global standards.
Olufemi Soneye, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd., made this clarification in a statement on Thursday while responding to former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s comments regarding the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.
The former president had expressed doubts about the operational status of the rehabilitated 60,000 bpd Port Harcourt refinery and Warri refinery.
Obasanjo had stated that the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) had advised against the Port Harcourt Refinery’s viability due to corruption, and he alleged that the NNPC Ltd. had misled Nigerians by claiming that its refineries are operational.
In response, Soneye defended the efforts of NNPC Ltd., stating that one of the notable achievements of the company was the overhaul of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, with similar efforts ongoing at the second Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries.
He assured that NNPC Ltd. was committed to enhancing and maintaining the refineries to global standards for sustainable operations.
READ ALSO: NNPC Rejected Dangote’s $750m Offer To Manage Nigeria’s Refineries — Obasanjo
Soneye also invited the former president to visit the rehabilitated refineries to witness firsthand the progress made under NNPC Ltd.’s leadership. “We extend an invitation to our esteemed former president to join us in this historic journey,” he said.
“His wisdom and experience are invaluable, and we deeply appreciate his insights and guidance, which will always be welcomed and cherished.”
He further stated, “We hold President Olusegun Obasanjo in the highest regard as a respected statesman who has made significant contributions to the growth and progress of Nigeria.
His dedication to national development and his right to speak on matters of national importance are both deeply respected.”
Highlighting the transformation of NNPC, Soneye noted that it had evolved into NNPC Ltd., a private entity that transitioned from being a loss-making organization to a profit-oriented global energy leader.
Under this new model, NNPC Ltd. has expanded beyond oil and gas to become an integrated energy company.
“Our focus is not only on harnessing traditional resources but also on developing cleaner, cheaper, and sustainable energy solutions to meet Nigeria’s growing demands,” he added.
“This progress has been driven by the visionary leadership of the NNPC Ltd. board and the management team led by GCEO Mele Kyari, alongside President Bola Tinubu’s transformative policies in the energy sector.”
