Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited denies reports of selling refinery scrap, warns public against fraudsters

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has stated that it has not initiated or approved any process involving bids, tenders, or expressions of interest for the sale of scrap materials, refinery components, or items from its refinery inventories.

This clarification was made on Friday by the company’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, in response to reports alleging that the company was selling scrap materials and equipment from its refineries to individuals and private entities.
Reacting to the claims, the company described the information as untrue.
NNPC also disclosed that it had received reports of certain individuals falsely presenting themselves as its representatives or agents, claiming to facilitate the sale of so-called scrap metals or refinery equipment.
According to the company, such individuals are not authorised and are attempting to deceive the public.
NNPC advised members of the public, corporate organisations, and stakeholders in the industry to ignore such claims and exercise caution when dealing with anyone making such representations.
“For clarity, NNPC Limited is neither conducting nor has it authorised any sale of scrap metals, equipment, or refinery components from any of its facilities,” the statement emphasised.
The company added that any legitimate disposal of its assets would follow established, transparent procedures and would be publicly communicated through its official channels in line with relevant regulations.
It further urged anyone who encounters such fraudulent claims to report them to appropriate law enforcement agencies.
NNPC reiterated its commitment to transparency, accountability, and the responsible management of national energy assets.
Nigeria operates four state-owned refineries, including two in Port Harcourt under the Port Harcourt Refining Company, with a combined installed capacity of 210,000 barrels per day.
The Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company has a capacity of 110,000 barrels per day, while the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company has an installed capacity of 125,000 barrels per day.
Together, the four refineries have a total installed capacity of 445,000 barrels per day.
The Warri Refinery, which resumed operations in December 2024, was shut down again in January due to safety concerns. In May 2025, NNPC also announced an outage at the Port Harcourt Refinery ahead of scheduled maintenance.
Earlier in February, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Bayo Ojulari, explained that the state-owned refineries were shut down because they were not commercially viable in their current state.