The Warri Refining & Petrochemicals Company (WRPC), with a processing capacity of 125,000 barrels per day, has resumed operations in Delta State, marking a significant step in Nigeria’s energy sector.
This was revealed by Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), during a facility tour on Monday. The announcement follows the recent rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery in Rivers State.
Kyari, accompanied by Farouk Ahmed, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, emphasized the progress made in revamping the Warri refinery.
“The plant is operational, though not at full capacity yet. We’re still completing the process. Many doubted this could be achieved, but it’s real, and we want Nigerians to witness the progress,” Kyari stated in a video shared by Channels TV.
Located in Ekpan, Uwvie, and Ubeji in Warri, the WRPC produces 13,000 metric tonnes per annum (MTA) of polypropylene and 18,000 MTA of carbon black, catering to markets in Nigeria’s southern and southwestern regions.
The refinery, commissioned in 1978 and managed by the NNPCL, was initially slated for full rehabilitation by the first quarter of 2024, as confirmed by NNPCL spokesperson Olufemi Soneye.
The WRPC is one of Nigeria’s four refineries, alongside the Port Harcourt (old and new) refineries in Rivers State and the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company in Kaduna State. This development signifies a critical step toward enhancing Nigeria’s refining capacity and reducing dependence on fuel imports.
