The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has invited former President Olusegun Obasanjo to the rehabilitated refineries in Port Harcourt and Warri to witness firsthand the progress made by the company.

The Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, made this known in a statement on Thursday, January 2, 2025, while responding to Obasanjo’s comments on the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.

The former president had earlier expressed doubts about the operational status of the rehabilitated 60,000 bpd Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.

Obasanjo had said that the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) advised against the Port Harcourt Refinery’s viability due to corruption, and alleged that the NNPCL misled Nigerians by claiming that its refineries are operational.

Reacting, Soneye said a notable achievement of the NNPCL was the overhauling of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, adding that similar efforts were underway at the second Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries.

He stated that the Port Harcourt refinery and Kaduna refinery are undergoing a comprehensive overhaul, designed to meet world-class standards.

The NNPCL spokesman noted that the rehabilitation done at the 60,000 bpd Port Harcourt refinery and Warri refinery was not the typical Turnaround Maintenance (TAM) of the past, but a comprehensive overhaul.

Soneye said the NNPCL was committed to enhancing and maintaining the refineries to global standards for sustainable operations.

Soneye stated: “We extend an invitation to our esteemed former president to join us in this historic journey.

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“His wisdom and experience are invaluable, and we deeply appreciate his insights and guidance, which will always be welcomed and cherished.

“We hold President Olusegun Obasanjo in the highest regard as a respected statesman who has made significant contributions to the growth and progress of Nigeria.

“His dedication to national development and his right to speak on matters of national importance are both deeply respected.”

Highlighting NNPCL’s transformation, Soneye said it had evolved into NNPC Limited, a private entity that transitioned from being a loss-making organisation to a profit-oriented global energy leader.

Under this new model, he said the NNPC Limited had expanded beyond oil and gas to become an integrated energy company.

He added: “Our focus is not only on harnessing traditional resources but also on developing cleaner, cheaper, and sustainable energy solutions to meet Nigeria’s growing demands.

“This progress has been driven by the visionary leadership of the NNPC Limited board and the management team led by GCEO Mele Kyari, alongside President Bola Tinubu’s transformative policies in the energy sector.”

The Star