By Alexis Uchendu
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has temporarily shut down the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) for routine maintenance, dismissing rumors of an explosion at the facility.
Olufemi Soneye, NNPC’s Chief Communications Officer, described the explosion claims as “completely false,” clarifying that operations at WRPC’s Area 1 were intentionally halted on January 25 to address production challenges affecting the refining of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and Kerosene.
Despite the shutdown, daily truck loading of AGO has continued, ensuring an uninterrupted supply. NNPC assured stakeholders that full operations would resume within days.
The Warri refinery, which has a 125,000 barrels-per-day capacity, resumed operations in late 2024 after more than a decade of inactivity. Currently running at 60% capacity, it is undergoing a $1.48 billion rehabilitation approved in 2021.
