adminNigeria Resumes Operations at Warri Refinery After Nearly a Decade
Nigeria has partially resumed operations at its Warri oil refinery, marking a significant step in the government’s efforts to revive the country’s long-neglected refining capacity. This development comes nearly a decade after the refinery was shut down due to disrepair and crude shortages.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), led by its head Mele Kyari, announced the refinery is now running at 60% of its 125,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) capacity. Speaking during a facility tour with government officials, regulators, and journalists, Kyari said, “This plant is running. We have not completed 100%.”
The Warri refinery, located in the oil-rich Niger Delta, is one of four state-owned refineries with a combined capacity of 445,000 bpd. These include the 110,000 bpd Kaduna refinery in the north and two others in the Niger Delta. All have been plagued by years of neglect, damage, and mismanagement, leaving Africa’s largest crude oil exporter reliant on fuel imports.
In October, NNPC revived the 60,000 bpd Port Harcourt refinery, also in the Niger Delta, as part of a broader plan to rehabilitate all four facilities this year. The reopening of Warri signals progress, though the journey to fully restore Nigeria’s refining industry remains ongoing.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga described the move as a “milestone” in a statement, emphasizing the government’s commitment to reducing dependence on imported fuel and boosting local production.
This development is a significant win for the Nigerian oil sector and highlights the government’s efforts to overcome years of challenges and inefficiencies in its refinery operations.
