Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has called on the Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, to provide an explanation to Nigerians regarding the expenditure of $2.9 billion earmarked for the revitalization of the country’s three refineries.
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Falana questioned why the Port Harcourt refinery is only processing 60,000 barrels of crude oil per day, while its 150,000 bpd capacity remains unused, along with the Warri and Kaduna refineries.
Speaking at the commissioning of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) Tower in Lagos, Falana challenged NUPENG and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) to disclose the actual state of the refineries to the public. He emphasized that NNPCL has not provided a clear explanation for the diversion of the $2.9 billion allocated for refinery upgrades.
In response to Falana’s remarks, NNPCL MD Mele Kyari assured attendees that the Port Harcourt refinery is operational. However, recent reports suggest that only the old section of the refinery is functioning, producing naphtha, kerosene, and diesel, but not the components required for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) production.
Sources within the refinery have revealed that the secondary units necessary for gasoline production are not yet ready, and the processing plant with a 150,000 bpd capacity is expected to commence operations in 2026, subject to the availability of funds. The project has already exceeded $2 billion in costs.
The commissioning event, which saw the inauguration of the seven-storey NUPENG building by President Bola Tinubu, was attended by key figures in the oil and gas industry and labor unions, including Joe Ajaero, president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and Festus Osifo, president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
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