Imo State-based Waltersmith modular oil refinery has concluded the expansion of its modular facility to a 10,000 barrels per day plant, from 5,000 bpd at inception in November 2020.
The plant, sited at Ohaji-Egbema, Imo State, was one of the first modular refineries to kick off in Nigeria. It has been producing AGO (diesel), household kerosene (HHK), heavy fuel oil (HFO), and Naphtha.
According to Abdulrazak Isa, chairman of Waltersmith, the refinery has to date supplied over 1.1 billion litres of refined petroleum products to the local and regional markets, helping to strengthen Nigeria and West Africa’s energy security; and contributing immensely to the national economy.
Isa explained that the refinery supplies most of its products to the South-East and South-South regions of the country, while the HFO gets to West African sub-region.
Recently, the Nigerian Content Development Management Board (NCDMB), which partnered with the investor in building the plant’s initial 5,000 bpd, visited to assess the expanded modular refining facility. The NCDMB executive secretary Felix Omatsola Ogbe joined the chief executive of Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Saidu Mohammed, to visit the Waltersmith refinery site. Both agencies inspected the newly completed expanded 10,000 bpd refining facility.
Work began at Waltersmith refining and petrochemical company in 2018, with undisclosed investments from the NCDMB, leading to commissioning of the first phase in November 2020. NCDMB also participated in the expansion, which has now been completed and operational.
NCDMB executive secretary, Ogbe expressed delight at the success of Waltersmith modular refinery, describing the firm as a model in local content implementation, with direct and in-direct jobs creation, capital retention, industrialization, import substitution and value addition to crude oil and gas resources.
Waltersmith chairman, Isa, said the company had grown from owning one oil field at inception to expanding into several fields, including owning stakes in Renaissance Africa Energy Ltd., which acquired the entire assets of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) in March 2025.
He further announced the refiner’s plan to insert two new phases of a 30,000 bpd condensate refining plant by Q2 2026, and an industrial park that will accommodate other gas-based companies. The refining plant will also develop a gas line that will deliver 100 million standard cubic feet (mmscf) of gas per day, and provide an embedded captive power, to attract industries to co-locate in the industrial park.
Feedstock for the integrated expansions will come from the Ibigwe and Assa fields, as well as from nearby fields.
Additionally, Waltersmith chairman explained that the company plans to expand into petrochemicals sector, leveraging its access to gas and Naphtha. He noted that the petrochemicals industry is a key enabler of the Nigerian economy.
Nigeria’s petrochemicals production is still underperforming despite a 1.2 million metric tonnes per annum (mmtpa) contributed by the newly operational Dangote Petrochemicals Plant, Lagos, and Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Company, Port Harcourt. The country still imports nearly $11 billion worth of products annually.
Isa sought approvals from the NMDRA for the upcoming additions of the integrated refining plant.
However, the NMDPRA chief executive Saidu Mohammed wants Waltersmith to hasten the development of the condensate plant, saying the midstream sector holds the key to Nigeria’s petroleum economy. He commended the NCDMB for partnering with Waltersmith to develop the project that has become a run-away success.
