The Warri Refining and Petrochemicals Company has begun operations, marking the second refinery restart in recent months. The 125,000-barrel-per-day facility joins the recently reactivated Port Harcourt Refinery in strengthening the nation’s petroleum processing capabilities.
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NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari announced the development during a facility tour on Monday, December 30, accompanied by Farouk Ahmed, CEO of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
The refinery, located across Ekpan, Uwvie, and Ubeji in Delta State, has begun its first phase of operations, known as Area 1, producing diesel, kerosene, and naphtha. Beyond fuel products, the facility also manufactures petrochemicals, with a capacity for 13,000 metric tonnes of polypropylene and 18,000 metric tonnes of carbon black annually.
During the inspection, Kyari noted that while repairs were ongoing, the facility had already commenced production. “This plant is running. Although it is not 100 percent complete, we are still in the process,” he stated, addressing scepticism about the project’s viability.
The NNPC chief highlighted that the restart demonstrates Nigeria’s technical capabilities. “We have proved that it is possible to restart a plant that you deliberately shut down,” Kyari noted, crediting the achievement to team determination and contractor collaboration.
The development, he said, aligns with presidential directives to revitalise all three of Nigeria’s refineries. Kyari indicated that additional units for producing Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) would also become operational, furthering the country’s goal of transitioning from a fuel importer to an exporter of petroleum products.
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