Nigeria announced on Monday that it has resumed operations at its Warri refinery after nearly ten years of inactivity. The refinery’s closure in 2015 was attributed to disrepair and crude oil shortages, leaving the country dependent on fuel imports despite being Africa’s largest crude exporter.
Mele Kyari, the head of the state oil company NNPC, confirmed the news during a tour of the facility. He mentioned that while the refinery is now operational, it has not yet reached full capacity. “This plant is running. We have not completed 100%,” Kyari said, speaking alongside government officials, regulators, and journalists.
The Warri refinery, which has a capacity of 125,000 barrels per day (bpd), is currently running at 60% of its full potential, according to a statement from presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga. The resumption marks a significant step toward reviving the country’s aging oil infrastructure.
Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries, which have a combined capacity of 445,000 bpd, have been plagued by neglect, mismanagement, and technical failures. These refineries, including the Kaduna plant and three others in the Niger Delta, have remained closed for years.
In a related development, NNPC also revived the 60,000 bpd Port Harcourt refinery in the Niger Delta last month, as part of its broader goal to restore its refineries. The corporation had aimed to restart all four refineries by the end of 2024.
In contrast, the privately owned Dangote refinery, with a capacity of 650,000 bpd, began operations this year, offering a promising addition to Nigeria’s energy landscape.