The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited says the Port Harcourt Refinery and Kaduna Refinery are undergoing a comprehensive overhaul designed to meet world-class standards.

The company said the rehabilitation at the 60,000 bpd Port Harcourt Refinery and Warri Refinery was not the typical turnaround maintenance of the past, but a comprehensive overhaul, designed to meet global standards.

NNPCL spokesman Olufemi Soneye made the clarification in a statement on Thursday while responding to former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s comments on the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.

The former president had expressed doubts about the rehabilitated Port Harcourt and Warri refineries’ operational status. Mr Obasanjo said that the Shell Petroleum Development Company had 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.

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

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

Mr Soneye, however, invited the former president to visit the rehabilitated refineries and witness firsthand the progress made under the leadership of NNPCL.

“We extend an invitation to our esteemed former president to join us in this historic journey. 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,” he said.

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

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

“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,” he said.

(NAN)