The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) is seeking reputable private operators to manage its Warri and Kaduna refining and petrochemical companies. The move is aimed at improving the reliability and sustainability of Nigeria’s fuel supply and energy security.
In a public notice, the NNPC announced plans to engage operations and maintenance (O&M) companies to oversee the two refineries. This follows a similar initiative for the Port Harcourt refinery earlier this year.
The O&M tender for Warri and Kaduna refineries will be conducted through a three-stage process: expression of interest, technical evaluation, and commercial negotiation. The NNPC will consider various factors, including procurement costs, manpower management, IT systems, and warehousing.
The scope of the O&M contract will encompass production planning, execution, monitoring, reporting, maintenance, and optimisation of operations.
Interested operators are required to submit audited financial statements for the past four years, along with credit ratings, annual turnover, and company registration documents. They must also demonstrate a minimum average annual turnover of $2 billion for the financial years ending 2020-2023.
The NNPC has set a deadline of October 10, 2024, for the submission of expressions of interest. The bid opening session will be conducted virtually via Microsoft Teams.
The Warri and Kaduna refineries have been nonfunctional for several years, and the NNPC’s efforts to revive them have faced challenges. The successful privatisation of these refineries could significantly boost Nigeria’s domestic fuel production capacity and reduce its reliance on imports.