Fuel price: Lokpobiri tells NNPCL to explain why Port Harcourt, Warri, Kaduna refineries not working

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, has called upon the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to justify the present non-operation of its refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna. Lokpobiri made this request while speaking to Channels Television in an interview. According to him, a report from the General Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Bayo Ojulari, revealed that the state-owned refineries have been idle since incurring maintenance costs of between N23.84 trillion and N33.11 trillion over the past two decades.

"It's very unfortunate that the Port Harcourt refinery, Warri refinery, and Kaduna refinery are not producing today," Lokpobiri noted. He further mentioned that new partnerships are being sought with Chinese companies to aid the refineries' rehabilitation. When questioned about punishing those who misled Nigerians about the refineries' functionality, Lokpobiri urged the National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to account for the situation.

"Call NNPC, tell them to come and account for it. I will tell them to come. Let them come and explain." This statement follows the announcement by NNPCL, under its previous CEO Mele Kyari, of the reinstatement of the Port Harcourt Refinery operations on November 26, 2024. However, on May 24, 2025, the plant was shut down once again.