Even though local refineries have reportedly resumed operations, Nigerians are still worried about the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s (NNPCL) continued importation of fuel. With a daily capacity of 125,000 barrels for refining, the Warri Refining & Petrochemicals Company (WRPC) is now operational, according to a recent announcement from the NNPCL.
The disclosure comes as Dangote Refinery is embroiled in a legal battle with NNPCL and significant oil marketers regarding the importation of refined petroleum products, which are already sufficiently produced domestically.
Dangote Refinery started supplying diesel and jet fuel to domestic marketers throughout Nigeria in August 2024. Aliko Dangote finished the refinery in November with a $20 billion investment, solidifying its position as a major force in the nation’s energy industry. Following a brief phase-down, the Port Harcourt Refinery reopened in full in December 2024.
Are local refineries a mirage? NNPCL import figures raise concerns
The NNPCL announced in December 2024 that the Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company (WRPC), which was authorized for rehabilitation in 2021 for $897 million, would resume operations at a capacity of 125,000 barrels per day (bpd). Reports that the 60,000 bpd phase one refinery at Port Harcourt had started refining key fuels preceded this announcement. Nigeria runs four national refineries: two in Port Harcourt, one in Warri, and one in Kaduna.
It was anticipated that Nigeria would become fuel independent and import fewer petroleum products as a result of the renovation of these refineries and the Dangote refinery.Nevertheless, even though the number of local refineries is increasing, a significant amount of refined products are still imported.
A confidential report that Nairametrics exclusively obtained from a trustworthy source that tracks the movement of motor tanker vessels revealed that, between February 1 and February 12, 2025, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) imported 159,000 metric tons of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
Social media users question petrol import
Fesomu Idris Fiwajomi on Instagram as @drfiwaj posted that “210 million liters in February equates to 6 days of national consumption; if that was all they imported in February, then they’ve come a long way. If we can increase our daily crude production to 2 million barrels per day, it’ll add a lot of value down the chain.”
A social media user @AkpatiNshiegbe expressed concerns on X (formerly Twitter) about the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) use of foreign exchange (FX) for the import of gasoline, claiming that this goes against the objective of enhancing domestic refining capabilities.
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