Newly uncovered documents have exposed a shocking revelation that the Warri Refinery, one of Nigeria’s key oil refining facilities, has been shut down since January 25, 2025 despite earlier claims which had touted progress with the work at the refinery.
An April 2025 document on the Midstream and Downstream sector obtained from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) revealed that the Warri Refinery was shut down just weeks after the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) announced its “full operation” following a $897 million rehabilitation effort.
The Warri Refinery with a capacity of 125,000 barrels per day, was re-streamed in December 2024 after over a decade of inactivity.
The NNPCL had touted the rehabilitation of the Warri Refinery as a landmark achievement aimed at boosting domestic refining capacity and reducing Nigeria’s reliance on imported fuel.
However, documents coming to light on Tuesday revealed that the Warri Refinery shutdown was triggered by safety concerns related to its Crude Distillation Unit Main Heater, forcing operations to halt just one month after the celebratory announcement.
“The Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company was shut down on 25th Jan. 2025 due to safety concerns over the CDU Main Heater,” the document stated.
Further review of the document also showed that the Warri refinery, which has remained shut for four months, produced 1.96ml of Automotive Gas Oil, 2.84ml of HKK in December 10ml of AGO and 12ml of HKK in January 2025.
This development comes after the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mr Olufemi Soneye, in a statement issued in February 2025 revealed that the Warri Refinery was undergoing a planned routine maintenance programme aimed at ensuring optimal operations.
According to him, operations at WRPC were halted to carry out repairs for efficient service delivery. He added that routine maintenance was progressing and operations would be back in the next few days.
The statement reads: “NNPC Ltd wishes to clarify that there was no explosion at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company. 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 specification finished and intermediate products, particularly Automotive Gas Oil and Kerosene. The routine maintenance is progressing as planned, and 1 will be back in operation within the next few days.”
