The 125,000bpd capacity Warri refinery was commissioned in 1978.
He said the country would still be dependent on the Dangote Refinery until the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries start working optimally.
Mr Ekechukwu, in an interview with journalists on Sunday in Abuja, said the NNPC Ltd. should not be seen to be defaulting in its obligations to contractors.
The executive vice president of downstream said section 205 of the PIA, which established NNPC Ltd., stipulated that petroleum prices were determined by unrestricted free market forces.
President Bola Tinubu approved the new directive to promote crude oil trade using the local currency.
He said the company was working round the clock with all stakeholders to resolve the situation.
He said the gas pipelines had been designed to be expanded from Train One to Train Three and even more on gas availability.
On December 21, the federal government announced the mechanical completion and flare start-up of the Port Harcourt refinery.
This represents a 100 per cent payment of the funding of the Lagos-Badagry road rehabilitation under the tax credit funding of the NNPC Ltd.
Mr Kyari explained that the platforms were created for members of the communities and other Nigerians to report incidences of theft and be rewarded.
