Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has called on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to explain why the country’s government-owned refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna are currently not producing petroleum products.
Lokpobiri made the demand while speaking on the state of the nation’s refineries, following a briefing from NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari, which indicated that the three facilities were not currently operational.
The development comes as petrol prices remain elevated, with motorists in Abuja and surrounding areas reportedly paying between ₦1,395 and ₦1,450 per litre.
Expressing concern over the situation, the minister said NNPCL should provide an explanation for the continued shutdown of the refineries and account for their current condition.
“Call NNPC, tell them to come and account for it. I will tell them to come. Let them come and explain,” Lokpobiri said during an interview with Channels Television.
The Port Harcourt refinery briefly resumed operations in November 2024 following a major rehabilitation programme but was shut down again in May 2025 for further work. The Warri and Kaduna facilities have also remained unavailable for sustained production.
Earlier in February 2026, NNPCL GCEO Bayo Ojulari said the Warri, Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries had been shut down after incurring substantial losses, while the company considered alternative strategies for their operation.
The latest development has renewed questions about the effectiveness and cost of repeated rehabilitation efforts involving the state-owned facilities.
Lokpobiri also disclosed that discussions were underway with potential Chinese partners as part of efforts to rehabilitate the refineries and eventually restore their operations.
The government has continued to pursue increased domestic refining capacity as Nigeria seeks to reduce its dependence on imported petroleum products.
For now, however, the continued inactivity of the three major state-owned refineries means the country remains reliant on operational private refineries and imported products to meet a significant portion of domestic fuel demand.
