The 125,000-barrel-per-day Warri Refining and Petrochemicals Company (WRPC), located in Warri, Delta State, has resumed operations, according to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

This announcement was made by the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, during a facility tour on Monday.

Addressing the team before the tour, Kyari said, “We are taking you through our plant. This plant is running. Although it is not yet 100 per cent complete, progress is ongoing. Many people think such achievements are not possible in this country. We want you to see that this is real.”

He praised the team’s commitment, adding, “I must commend our team for their determination and unwavering belief that this plant could be restarted. The results we are seeing today are the product of their efforts and collaboration with contractors. We have proven that it is possible to revive a facility that was deliberately shut down.”

Kyari explained that the refinery’s operations are being restored in stages. “This plant operates in three stages. We have successfully started stage one, known as Area 1, which produces AGO (diesel), kerosene, naphtha, and other high-quality products. These products are essential for the country, and we will also have the capacity to export them. This development aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision for Nigeria to become a net exporter of petroleum products.”

He further noted that the restoration of the Warri Refinery follows a directive from the President to ensure all three of Nigeria’s refineries become fully operational. “This is already becoming a reality. We have successfully restarted the old Port Harcourt Refinery, which has a capacity of 65,000 barrels per day. Now, we have initiated operations in Area 1 of the Warri Refinery, and the plants that will produce PMS (petrol) will also come online.

“Kaduna Refinery is also in the pipeline. While I won’t give a specific date, we will surprise you,” Kyari added.

The tour included Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

Located across Ekpan, Uvwie, and Ubeji areas of Warri, the WRPC also has a petrochemical plant with an annual production capacity of 13,000 metric tonnes (MT) of polypropylene and 18,000 MT of carbon black.

Commissioned in 1978 and managed by NNPCL, the Warri Refinery was established to meet the petroleum product needs of Nigeria’s southern and southwestern regions.

According to NNPCL spokesperson Olufemi Soneye, the mechanical completion of the refinery was originally scheduled for the first quarter of 2024. “Warri should be done by Q1 2024,” he stated earlier.

The resumption of operations at Warri Refinery follows the recent commencement of crude refining at the old Port Harcourt Refinery. Alongside the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, these refineries are part of Nigeria’s efforts to revitalise its refining capacity.