President Tinubu Reacts To Warri Refinery Restart

News Update

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said the restart of operation at the Warri Refinery on Monday has brought joy to him and Nigerians.

Bayo Onanuga, the spokesperson of Tinubu, disclosed this in a statement on Monday celebrating the kickoff of the state-owned refinery after years of rehabilitation.

This comes as this newspaper reports on Monday that the Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, announced that the 125,000 barrels per day have restarted operation.

Reacting, Tinubu said he is excited about the reopening of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

He described it as another remarkable achievement in 2024 that has strengthened Nigerians’ hope in his administration.

Tinubu noted with confidence that with the 125,000 (bpd) Warri Refinery now operating at 60 percent capacity, his administration’s comprehensive plan to ensure energy efficiency and security is entirely on course.

He hailed the Mele Kyari-led management of the NNPCL for working hard to restore Nigeria’s glory and pride as a major oil-producing country.

The President added that the Warri Refinery will focus on producing and storing critical products, including straight-run kerosene (SRK), automotive gas oil (AGO), and heavy and light naphtha.

“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.

“I congratulate Mele Kyari and his team at NNPCL for working hard to restore our national pride and make Nigeria a hub for crude oil refining in Africa,” President Tinubu said.

President Tinubu urged NNPCL to accelerate repair work on the Kaduna Refinery and the 150,000 (bpd) second refinery in Port Harcourt to consolidate Nigeria’s position as a global energy provider.

The Warri Refinery returned to operation weeks after NNPC Limited restarted the 60,000 barrels per day at the Port Harcourt Refinery on 26th November, 2025.