The Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd, Bayo Ojulari, has said the Company is currently in talks with partners with a proven track record of refining and petrochemical operations to build sustainable, self-financing, and profitable solutions for its refineries.
Ojulari disclosed this while fielding questions during a fireside chat themed “Securing Nigeria’s Energy Future at NIES 2026”, at the ongoing Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES) 2026 in Abuja, on Wednesday.
The GCEO observed that historically, the focus on refineries has largely been on financing and EPC delivery, noting that the approach has now moved 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 GCEO added that NNPC Ltd is now better positioned for commerciality and sustained profitability, driven by ongoing transformation agenda aimed at securing Nigeria’s energy future.
On the recent gains made in the reduction of crude oil theft and improved pipeline availability, the NNPC Ltd GCEO attributed the success to strengthened collaboration with upstream operators, noting 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 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 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.