GCEO NNPC Ltd, Mr. Mele Kyari delivers an address at the National Capacity Building Workshop for Judges on the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, organised by the National Judicial Institute (NJI), in Abuja, on Thursday.
NNPCL Shakeup: Port Harcourt, Warri, Kaduna refineries’ MDs Sacked in Major Overhaul
In a sweeping restructuring move, the new management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has dismissed the managing directors of the country’s three major refineries—Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna—alongside several senior officials, as part of efforts to revitalize the struggling oil sector.
The managing directors of the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC), and Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) were relieved of their duties.
Other high-ranking officials, including Bala Wunti, former head of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), were also removed. Employees with less than a year to retirement were similarly affected.
The decision follows persistent underperformance at the refineries, with the Warri refinery shut since January 2025 despite an $897 million revamp, and the Port Harcourt plant operating below 40% capacity.
The shakeup aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s April 2025 dismissal of former NNPCL Group CEO, Mele Kyari, and the board, citing failure to meet crude production targets. A presidential source, speaking anonymously, stated:
“The former team was taking us in circles. We need fresh expertise to hit 2 million barrels per day by 2027 and 3 million by 2030.”
Tinubu appointed Bayo Ojulari, a seasoned industry expert and former COO of Renaissance Africa Energy, as the new NNPCL Group CEO. Ojulari previously led a $2.4 billion acquisition of Shell’s Nigerian assets.
Energy analysts criticized the NNPCL’s refinery management, citing lack of transparency and inefficiency. Documents revealed the Warri refinery’s $897.6 million maintenance failed to yield petrol production, while Port Harcourt’s operations remain suboptimal.
NNPCL’s spokesman, Olufemi Soneye, did not respond to inquiries. However, internal sources confirmed the restructuring, emphasizing the new management’s focus on accountability and results.
The overhaul signals a decisive shift toward technocratic leadership and stricter performance benchmarks. Observers await tangible improvements in refinery output and crude production to meet Tinubu’s ambitious targets.