Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, announced that three of the nation’s refineries will be shut down briefly for an overhaul for optimal performance. He said this yesterday at Abuja on the sidelines of the Inaugural Nigerian Pipeline Security Conference and Exhibition, organized by the Pipeline Association of Nigeria (PLAN).
The reason for the overhaul, Baru said is for the refineries, especially at Warri, Port Harcourt and Kaduna, to be brought back to their original production capacities. This is ultimately geared towards the nation’s plan to stop the importation of petroleum products come 2019.
Eight committees were inaugurated for the overhaul comprising of top management officials who will oversee the work streams. Expectations are high for the results after the brief shut down but the big question remains “Will Baru meet his stipulations?”
He said “We want to show everyone that we can fully run the refineries. You must all work together to operate them at 100% capacity as this is the only way to ensure profitability.”
