How NNPC GCEO Bayo Ojulari Shut Down Refinery Even While Operational For Emergency Chinese Firms

‎Secrets Reporters
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Insider information available to SecretsReporters has raised questions over the circumstances surrounding the shutdown of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries in 2025, a decision allegedly ordered by the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Bayo Ojulari, despite indications from refinery management that production activities were ongoing at the time.
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‎According to the email exchanges, the decision to halt operations came as a surprise to senior refinery officials, including the Managing Directors of both facilities.
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‎Sources familiar with the development told SecretsReporters that the refineries were not due for scheduled maintenance at the time the shutdown directive was issued. Internal communications reviewed by this newspaper indicate that the refinery heads were contacted on the morning the order was conveyed and reportedly expressed concern over the decision.
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‎The email trail, in which Ojulari’s office was copied, appears to show efforts by refinery management to formally place on record that the shutdown directive originated from the highest levels of NNPC Ltd.
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‎According to the documents reviewed, production activities were still ongoing on the day operations were halted.
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‎The development has raised fresh questions among industry stakeholders, particularly against the backdrop of the billions of dollars invested over several years in refinery rehabilitation projects intended to restore domestic refining capacity and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products.
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‎Industry observers note that if the facilities were operating at the time of the shutdown, questions naturally arise regarding the technical basis for the decision, the performance status of the refineries, and whether alternative operational measures were considered before production was suspended.
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‎Questions Over Chinese Firms Brought Into the Process
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‎The controversy deepened following the reported engagement of two Chinese companies in connection with refinery operations after the shutdown.
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‎Investigations by SecretsReporters indicate that one of the firms, Sanjiang Chemical Company Limited, is a known Chinese petrochemical company. However, industry experts consulted during this investigation questioned whether the company possesses the track record and operational profile typically associated with the full-scale management and rehabilitation of large national refineries.
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‎A review of publicly available records by SecretsReporters found that the company is primarily known for petrochemical production activities rather than crude oil refining operations.
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‎The second company, identified in documents as Xinganchen (Fuzhou) Industrial Park Operation and Management Co. Ltd., proved even more difficult to verify.
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‎Extensive searches of publicly accessible corporate, industry, and project records reviewed by SecretsReporters yielded limited information regarding the company’s experience in refinery rehabilitation, turnaround maintenance, or large-scale refinery operations.
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‎The apparent lack of publicly verifiable records has prompted questions from industry analysts about the due diligence process that preceded the engagement of the firms and the criteria used in their selection.
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‎Calls for Transparency
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‎Energy sector experts who reviewed aspects of the documents told SecretsReporters that decisions involving the shutdown of strategic national assets such as refineries require clear technical justification, transparent procurement processes, and comprehensive disclosure to the Nigerian public.
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‎They argued that where billions of dollars in rehabilitation spending have already been committed, any subsequent suspension of operations should be accompanied by detailed explanations regarding operational challenges, maintenance requirements, expected timelines, and anticipated outcomes.
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‎The experts further noted that transparency becomes even more critical where external firms are introduced into the management, rehabilitation, or operational structure of the facilities.