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Renowned human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has called on Mele Kyari, the Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), to clarify the use of $2.9 billion earmarked for reviving the nation’s three refineries.
Falana questioned why the Port-Harcourt refinery, with a capacity of 150,000 barrels per day (bpd), is operating at only 60,000 bpd, while the Warri and Kaduna refineries remain dormant.
Speaking on Wednesday in Lagos at the commissioning of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) Tower, Falana expressed dissatisfaction with the state of the refineries.
The event, graced by President Bola Tinubu and prominent figures in the oil and gas sector, highlighted concerns over the lack of transparency in NNPCL’s refinery operations.
“I challenge NUPENG and PENGASSAN to reveal the true state of the refineries. NNPCL must account for the $2.9 billion set aside for repairs while neglecting 150,000 bpd capacity at Port-Harcourt and the inactivity at Warri and Kaduna,” Falana declared.
Responding, Mele Kyari assured stakeholders that the Port-Harcourt refinery is operational.
However, reports revealed that only the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) is functional, producing naphtha, kerosene, and diesel but not Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). Sources disclosed that the secondary units of the refinery, essential for PMS production, remain uncommissioned.
While blending naphtha with Crack C5 is a temporary measure to produce gasoline, experts warned of potential impacts on vehicles.
The NNPCL’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, stated that the old Port-Harcourt refinery is operating at 70% capacity, blending 1.4 million liters of PMS daily.
However, full operations for the 150,000 bpd plant are projected to commence in 2026, contingent on further funding.
The state of Nigeria's refineries has drawn widespread scrutiny, with industry watchers urging transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.
