By Ayomide Otitoju
Top executives of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) have embarked on inspection visits to the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Port Harcourt Refining Company to assess ongoing rehabilitation efforts and operational status.
The visits were led by Mumuni Dagazau, Executive Vice President (Downstream), and Udy Ntia, Executive Vice President (Upstream), as part of NNPC’s renewed focus on ensuring delivery timelines and performance at its refineries.
The inspections come shortly after the recent dismissal of the managing directors of the three refineries under NNPC’s control—Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna—amid criticisms over underperformance and mismanagement.
During the Kaduna tour, Dagazau evaluated the progress of the Quick Fix project, a short-term rehabilitation plan aimed at restoring core processing units. The Kaduna refinery, which has a nameplate capacity of 110,000 barrels per day, has not processed crude oil in over a decade.
In a post on NNPC’s official social media account, Dagazau expressed satisfaction with the work done and commended staff for their commitment.
“This inspection allowed us to assess real-time progress. We appreciate the dedication of the workforce and expect timely completion of this phase,” the post read.
The Kaduna refinery’s ongoing rehabilitation is part of a broader $1.5 billion revamp plan initiated by the Federal Government in 2021, starting with the 210,000 bpd Port Harcourt Refinery.
At Port Harcourt, EVP Udy Ntia led a similar inspection, amid revelations that the refinery has been operating below 40% capacity since its much-celebrated restart. The NNPC has faced criticism following reports that the Warri refinery shut down just weeks after resumption due to safety concerns.
Meanwhile, NNPC has said efforts are ongoing to restore all refineries to optimal production levels in line with President Bola Tinubu’s goal of achieving energy self-sufficiency.
No official statements have been issued regarding timelines for the next phase of rehabilitation or the appointment of new refinery heads.
