The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has dismissed rumors of an explosion at the Warri Refinery, confirming that such claims are entirely false.
In a statement issued on Friday by the NNPC’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, the company clarified that the Warri Refinery is currently loading eight trucks of diesel and kerosene daily. This, according to Soneye, is due to a deliberate reduction in operations on January 25 to carry out critical maintenance work.
“The NNPC Ltd. would like to make it clear that there was no explosion at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC). Any reports suggesting otherwise are completely unfounded,” said Soneye.
He explained that on January 25, 2025, operations at WRPC Area 1 were intentionally curtailed to allow for necessary intervention works on key equipment, including field instruments, which were affecting steady and sustainable operations. These maintenance efforts are vital to ensuring the consistent production of high-quality finished and intermediate products, particularly Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and Kerosene (Kero).
“The maintenance is proceeding as planned, and we expect Area 1 to resume full operations in the coming days. Despite the ongoing work, we have maintained an average of eight trucks per day for AGO loading over the past 11 days, ensuring a steady supply for ongoing truck load-out operations,” Soneye added.
The NNPCL remains committed to ensuring an uninterrupted product supply and expressed its appreciation for the patience and cooperation of all stakeholders as it completes these necessary maintenance activities.
