Nigeria is in earnest discussions with some major global engineering and construction companies and partners with a proven track record in refining and petrochemical operations to rehabilitate its four ailing national refineries: the Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari has recently disclosed at an international event.
Ojulari disclosed this while fielding questions during a fireside chat themed “Securing Nigeria’s Energy Future at NIES 2026”, at the ongoing Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES) 2026 in Abuja, on Wednesday, stating that the nation is in pursuit to build sustainable, self-financing, and profitable solutions for its refineries.
The GCEO observed that historically, the focus on refineries has largely been on financing and EPC delivery, noting that the approach has now moved towards getting the operating model right for sustainability.
“Getting refineries up and running requires three critical elements: financing, a competent EPC contractor, and world-class operational capacity. That is exactly our focus at the moment,” he noted.
The GCEO added that NNPC Ltd is now better positioned for Commerciality and sustained profitability, driven by the ongoing transformation agenda aimed at securing Nigeria’s energy future.
Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries (Port Harcourt I & II, Warri, and Kaduna) have a combined nameplate capacity of 445,000 bpd. Historically, the state-owned refineries operated far below capacity, after which billions of dollars had been allocated for their Turn Around Maintenance, but rehabilitation efforts have been ongoing.
The commissioning of an additional 650,000 bpd Dangote Refinery and other smaller, functional modular refineries has significantly increased the nation’s refining total, with projections indicating over 974,500 bpd by mid-2025.
