By Bassey Udo
The NIgerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited says it is currently in talks with partners with proven track record of technical competence in refining and petrochemical operations towards finding sustainable, self-financing, and profitable solutions for its four refineries.
The Group Chief Executive Officer of the company, Eng. Bayo Ojulari, disclosed this on Wednesday while answering questions during a fireside chat on “Securing Nigeria’s Energy Future at NIES 2026”, at the ongoing Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES) 2026 in Abuja.
The GCEO observed that historically, the focus on revamping the refineries has always been on financing as well as engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) delivery, adding that the time has come for the approach to now move towards getting the operating model right for sustainability.
“Getting refineries up and running requires three critical elements: financing, a competent EPC contractor, and world-class operational capacity. That is exactly our focus at the moment,” he noted.
The NNPC Ltd, the GCEO added, was now better positioned for commerciality and sustained profitability in its operations, driven by ongoing transformation agenda aimed at securing Nigeria’s energy future.
On the recent gains made in the reduction of crude oil theft in its operations and improved pipeline availability, the NNPC Ltd GCEO attributed the success to strengthened collaboration with other upstream operators, pointing out that renewed engagement and trust have significantly proven to be a major boost for investor confidence, commercial outcomes, and productivity.
“When the current leadership of NNPC Ltd was appointed, we initiated a fundamentally different engagement model with our partners which focused on improving systems and operational processes for win-win outcomes in production acceleration and contracting,” Ojulari said.
“There was also the decisive intervention by the Federal Government to mitigate security challenges in the Niger Delta region through a structured surveillance framework, including the deployment of AI-enabled solutions and security personnel. This has helped stabilise operations, ensure production consistency, and deepen collaboration with host communities through targeted Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives that address fundamental social issues,” the GCEO noted.
On the recently-launched NNPC Ltd Gas Master Plan 2026, Ojulari explained that the Company was firmly focused on delivering in-country value through gas utilisation initiatives, describing the plan as a customer-driven strategy designed to stimulate market growth and shared prosperity.
The Plan, he said, was closely aligned with the Federal Government’s ‘Decade of Gas Initiative’, which positions gas as a pillar of economic growth, industrialisation, and energy transition.
On leadership and governance, Ojulari commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the unprecedented inclusion of industry experts on the NNPC Ltd Board and Senior Management Team, describing it as a strategic move that strengthens commercial discipline and global competitiveness.
The blend of internal expertise, international experience, and a highly skilled workforce in the NNPC Ltd has positioned it as a commercially viable and performance-driven national energy company that would be the pride of all its stakeholders.
