NNPC says no explosion at Warri refinery

NNPCL’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye made this known in a statement issued on Friday night.

Soneye said reports claiming that there was an explosion at the Warri refinery were false and should be disregarded by the public.

He disclosed that the refinery was undergoing routine maintenance.

His statement read: “NNPC Ltd. wishes to clarify that there was no explosion at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC). Any reports suggesting otherwise are completely false. 

“On January 25, 2025, operations at WRPC Area 1 were intentionally curtailed to carry out necessary intervention works on select equipment, including field instruments that were impacting sustainable and steady operations. These intervention works are essential to ensure the production of on-specification finished and intermediate products, particularly Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and Kerosene (Kero). 

“The routine maintenance is progressing as planned, and Area 1 will be back in operation within the next few days. Despite ongoing interventions, over the past 11 days, AGO loading has been maintained at an average of eight trucks per day, with a sufficient supply available to sustain ongoing truck load-out operations.” 

Soneye added that the NNPCL was committed to ensuring an uninterrupted supply of petroleum products from the refinery.

He said the company “appreciates the patience and cooperation of all stakeholders as it completes these essential maintenance activities.” 

The Warri refinery which has been moribund for many years was brought back to life by the national oil company on December 30, 2024.

Naijaonpoint reported that President Bola Tinubu commended the NNPCL for completing the refurbishment of the 125,000-bpd capacity Warri refinery, which reportedly kicked off operations at 60% capacity.

President Tinubu stressed that the reactivation of WRPC after years of inactivity is a demonstration of his administration’s determination to position Nigeria as a hub for downstream industrial activities in Africa.

“The restart of 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 than we promised. This development is a remarkable way to end the year following the feat recorded earlier with the old Port Harcourt Refinery. I am equally happy that NNPC Limited is implementing my directive to restore all four refineries to good working condition,” a statement by Bayo Onanuga read.