President Bola Tinubu has expressed his joy over the reopening of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPCL), calling it another significant achievement for his administration in 2024.
This, he said, strengthens Nigerians’ faith in his leadership, according to a statement by his spokesman, Mr. Bayo Onanuga.
Tinubu highlighted that the reactivation of the Warri Refinery follows the successful restart of the 60,000 barrels per day (bpd) Port Harcourt Refinery in November.
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He emphasized that his administration remains committed to increasing Nigeria’s local refining capacity, positioning the country as a hub for downstream industrial activities in Africa.
The president noted that the previous administration, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, had awarded the contract for the complete rehabilitation of Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries.
With the 125,000 bpd Warri Refinery now operating at 60 percent capacity, Tinubu assured that his administration’s comprehensive plan for energy efficiency and security is on track.
He commended the leadership of Mele Kyari and the NNPCL for their hard work in restoring Nigeria’s standing as a major oil producer.
“The restart of the Warri Refinery today brings joy and gladness to me and Nigerians. This will further strengthen the hope and confidence of Nigerians for a greater and better future that we promised,” Tinubu stated.
The president described the reopening of the Warri Refinery as a remarkable way to close the year, following the earlier success with the Port Harcourt Refinery.
He also expressed satisfaction with the ongoing efforts to restore all four refineries to full operational capacity, in line with his directive.
Tinubu congratulated Mele Kyari and his team at NNPCL for their efforts, saying, “This development is a remarkable way to end the year following the feat recorded earlier with the old Port Harcourt Refinery.”
The president called on NNPCL to accelerate the repair work on the Kaduna Refinery and the 150,000 bpd second Port Harcourt Refinery, urging the company to work towards consolidating Nigeria’s position as a leading global energy provider.
“WRPC will focus on producing and storing critical products, including Straight Run Kerosene, Automotive Gas Oil, and heavy and light Naphtha,” Tinubu added.
