NNPC refinery challenges persist due to decades of neglect, says CEO Bayo Ojulari, who insists reforms will continue despite attacks and resistance

NNPC refinery challenges continue to stall Nigeria’s domestic crude processing capacity, with Group CEO Bayo Ojulari revealing on Thursday that years of neglect and internal sabotage have made recovery efforts more difficult—despite significant investments.

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Ojulari, who took office just five months ago, addressed the issue during a meeting with the leadership of PENGASSAN at the NNPC Towers in Abuja.

He painted a stark picture of the state of Nigeria’s three main refineries in Warri, Port Harcourt, and Kaduna.

“It’s like leaving a car unused for years—once you fix one thing, another breaks. The systems are old and rusted,” Ojulari said.

Ojulari did not mince words in describing the pushback against reforms, stating that NNPC is under attack from elements who “don’t mean well for Nigeria” and oppose the transformation currently underway.

“You cannot drive change without a price. We won’t cave in to short-term pressures,” he stressed.

He further assured that President Bola Tinubu has not interfered with the reforms, giving him full autonomy to make technically sound, sustainable decisions—including the adoption of the Incorporated Joint Venture (IJV) model to revive the refineries.

Ojulari revealed that a commercial and technical review of the Port Harcourt refinery has been completed.

The outcome: NNPC will partner with a professional refining company, bringing private expertise into government operations to reduce inefficiencies and political interference.

Despite the difficulties, Ojulari noted visible progress.

Through NNPC’s equity in the Dangote Refinery, the company is working to diversify supply sources and ensure steady fuel availability.

The President of PENGASSAN, Festus Osifo, echoed support for this direction, advocating for reduced government stakes in the refineries to attract private capital and expertise.

“Let the professionals run it. That way, the refineries become a growing concern, not a political one,” Osifo urged.

He also applauded Ojulari’s short tenure, citing pipeline recovery and reduced oil theft as key wins.