Oil and Gas: How we plan to get Nigeria’s refineries running- NNPC’s Ojulari

Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC Ltd has said it is focused on three critical elements that will ensure the country’s refineries are up and running, including financing, a competent EPC contractor, and world-class operational capacity.
The Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPC Ltd, Bayo Ojulari, revealed this at a fireside chat at the ongoing Nigeria International Energy Summit in Abuja.
Ojulari revealed that the NNPC is currently in talks with partners with a proven track record of refining and petrochemical operations to build sustainable, self-financing, and profitable solutions for its refineries.
The GCEO observed that historically, the focus on refineries has largely been on financing and EPC delivery, noting that the approach has now moved towards getting the operating model right for sustainability.
“Getting refineries up and running requires three critical elements: financing, a competent EPC contractor, and world-class operational capacity. That is exactly our focus at the moment,” he noted.
The GCEO added that NNPC Ltd is now better positioned for commerciality and sustained profitability, driven by the ongoing transformation agenda aimed at securing Nigeria’s energy future.
A statement by the Company’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, quoted the NNPCL GCEO as saying that the gains made in the reduction of crude oil theft are largely due to strengthened collaboration with upstream operators
“We initiated a fundamentally different engagement model with our partners, which focused on improving systems and processes for win-win outcomes in production acceleration and contracting, said Ojulari.
“There was also the decisive intervention by the Federal Government to mitigate security challenges in the Niger Delta through a structured surveillance framework, including the deployment of AI-enabled solutions and security personnel. This has helped stabilise operations, ensure production consistency, and deepen collaboration with host communities through targeted Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives that address fundamental social issues.”
Oil and Gas: How we plan to get Nigeria’s refineries running- NNPC’s Ojulari