The Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, Wednesday said the Company is currently in talks with partners to run the country’s ailing 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.
He explained “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 added: “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.
“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.”
On the recently-launched NNPC Ltd Gas Master Plan 2026, Ojulari explained that the Company is 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.
According to him, the Plan is 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, GCFR, 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.
He added that the blend of internal expertise, international experience, and a highly skilled workforce positions NNPC Ltd as a commercially viable and performance-driven national energy company that will be the pride of all its stakeholders.
