The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) says it has begun a fresh review of the country’s three state-owned refineries, signalling yet another attempt to revive facilities that have remained largely idle despite repeated rehabilitation efforts.

Group CEO Bayo Ojulari disclosed the development on his X account, noting that the company is assessing several options to restore reliable refining capacity. NNPCL could seek technical equity partners to “high-grade or repurpose” the plants, he said, in what would represent a shift from previous government-led overhaul programmes.

The approach would involve external operators taking equity positions in the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries, which operated at minimal capacity for more than a decade,  alongside responsibility for operational performance, maintenance and technology upgrades.

“We are filled with determination! We are looking ahead with optimism to ensure our refineries operate effectively. We are dedicating significant time to a detailed review and are eager to implement our insights,” Ojulari wrote on X.

“What fuels our drive is the understanding that the prosperity of the Nigerian states and the future success of Nigeria will always take precedence over any individual interests. This very commitment inspires us as we anticipate creating sustainable solutions for our refineries in the near future. #Nigerianrefineries #willwork”.

Despite spending an estimated $3bn on rehabilitation and turnaround maintenance in recent years, only a 60,000-bpd segment of the Port Harcourt complex briefly came online before operations were suspended after short test runs. For long stretches, domestic fuel supply has relied almost entirely on imports.

Securing qualified downstream partners would require clarity on plant ownership structures, feedstock supply arrangements, product pricing frameworks and long-term investment protection. Previous talks with international oil companies and trading firms stalled over concerns about regulated pricing and foreign exchange liquidity.

NNPCL says it remains committed to restoring local refining capacity to reduce import dependency and save foreign exchange. The company is also counting on the gradual ramp-up of production at the privately owned 650,000-bpd Dangote refinery, which began supplying fuel to the domestic market this year, although distribution volumes remain limited during its phased start-up.

That refinery’s owner, billionaire Aliko Dangote, estimated in July that the federal government may have spent over $18bn over the years to revamp the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries without results, ThisDay reported.

The Port Harcourt refinery rehabilitation project has been led by Maire’s (BIT: MAIRE) Tecnimont, under a contract awarded in 2021. Warri and Kaduna refineries have undergone separate repair programmes, though progress updates have been sporadic and timelines have slipped.

Ojulari indicated that the latest review is still at an early stage, and no decisions have been made on which facilities would be prioritised or whether repurposing could include conversion to petrochemical or modular refining configurations. He said NNPCL remains “optimistic” that the plants can be restored to efficient operation.