When Simbi Wabote took the helm of Nigeria’s Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in 2016, the country imported virtually all of its refined petroleum products despite being Africa’s largest oil producer. Nigeria’s four national refineries operated far below capacity, forcing expensive importation of gasoline, diesel, and other products that could theoretically be manufactured domestically.
Rather than waiting for government-led refinery rehabilitation, Simbi Wabote pursued an aggressive partnership strategy that would establish multiple operational refineries through carefully structured deals with private investors. His approach centered on modular refineries — smaller, more manageable facilities that could be built faster and operated more efficiently than massive conventional plants.
By 2023, Wabote’s partnership network included one fully operational refinery producing 5,000 barrels per day, three additional refineries under construction, and an extensive gas processing infrastructure spanning multiple states. The strategy demonstrated how government agencies could accelerate industrial development through strategic equity participation rather than direct ownership.
“NCDMB is serving as a catalyst to enhance realization of the Refining Roadmap,” according to Board documentation describing Wabote’s approach to implementing President Buhari’s four-pillar refining strategy focused on rehabilitation, co-location, greenfield construction, and modular refineries.
The Waltersmith Breakthrough
Wabote’s first major partnership success came through his 30% equity investment in Waltersmith Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited for establishment of a 5,000 barrels per day modular refinery in Ibigwe, Imo State. The facility became operational in November 2020, representing the first successful modular refinery under Nigeria’s local content framework.
The Waltersmith operation produces 300,000 liters per day of diesel, 50,000 liters per day of kerosene, 30,000 liters per day of naphtha, and 400,000 liters per day of fuel oil. These products serve local and regional markets that previously relied entirely on imports, demonstrating the commercial viability of domestic refining capacity.
Importantly, Wabote structured the deal with “clear exit strategy put in place,” ensuring that NCDMB’s equity participation was time-bound rather than permanent government ownership. This approach encouraged private sector efficiency while providing public sector catalytic investment.
The Waltersmith success validated the modular refinery concept and established Wabote’s credibility for pursuing additional partnerships across Nigeria’s downstream sector.
Expanding the Refinery Network
Building on Waltersmith’s operational success, Wabote developed partnerships for three additional modular refineries at various stages of completion. The Duport Energy Park in Egbokor, Edo State, encompasses a 2,500 barrels per day modular refinery alongside a 30MMscfd gas processing plant and 2MW power plant, targeting completion in 2024.
Duport’s integrated approach reflects Wabote’s understanding that successful energy projects often require multiple revenue streams. The combination of refining, gas processing, and power generation creates operational synergies while diversifying project economics.
The Atlantic Refinery at Brass Island represents a 2,000 barrels per day facility under construction with target completion in 2025. Jetty construction has been completed, and sandfill and foundation works for storage tanks have reached advanced completion stages. Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) of ISBL process equipment has been completed, while feedstock agreements with major crude marketers and product offtake agreements are in place.
The largest partnership involves the Azikel Hydro-skimming Refinery at Gbarain, Bayelsa State, designed for 12,000 barrels per day capacity with completion targeted for 2026. This facility represents a more sophisticated processing approach than simple modular refineries, indicating Wabote’s progression toward increasingly complex partnerships.
Gas Infrastructure Partnerships
Wabote’s partnership strategy extended beyond oil refining into gas processing and distribution infrastructure. The NEDO Gas Processing Company partnership in Kwale, Delta State, established an 80MMscfd gas processing plant and 300MMscfd Kwale Gas Gathering hub that became operational in January 2022.
This facility demonstrates successful partnership execution, moving from concept to operation within Wabote’s timeframe while creating employment and industrial capacity. The gas processing capability supports Nigeria’s domestic energy needs while providing feedstock for petrochemical operations.
LPG infrastructure partnerships created a comprehensive value chain covering production, storage, and distribution. The Triansel Gas Limited partnership in Koko, Delta State, developed a 5,000MT LPG storage and loading terminal facility. MOB Integrated Services constructed a 500MT inland LPG terminal currently operational at Dikko, Niger State, including cylinder refurbishment plants and distribution assets.
Butane Energy partnerships rolled out LPG bottling plants and depots across Abuja and ten northern states including Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Bauchi, Nassarawa, Zamfara, Niger, Plateau, Gombe, and Jigawa. This geographic distribution strategy ensured that LPG infrastructure reached markets previously underserved by domestic production.
Partnership Selection and Structure
Wabote’s approach to partnership selection emphasized technical competence, financial capacity, and alignment with government policy objectives. Partners needed to demonstrate both the capability to execute complex industrial projects and the commitment to sustaining long-term operations.
The equity participation model varied by project scale and strategic importance. NCDMB’s 30% stake in Waltersmith provided significant influence while maintaining private sector management control. Other partnerships involved different structures, from joint ventures to capacity development initiatives with clear performance metrics.
Risk management remained central to partnership design. Wabote insisted on “clear exit strategies” that protected public sector investment while avoiding permanent government ownership of commercial operations. This approach encouraged private sector efficiency while providing catalytic public investment during development phases.
Operational Results and Impact
The partnership strategy generated concrete industrial capacity. Waltersmith’s operational refinery processes Nigerian crude into products serving domestic markets, reducing import dependency while creating local employment. The facility’s consistent operation since 2020 validates the modular refinery concept under Nigerian conditions.
Gas processing partnerships created 80MMscfd of operational processing capacity through NEDO Gas, with additional facilities under development. LPG infrastructure now spans multiple states, enabling domestic gas utilization that supports Nigeria’s energy security objectives.
Employment creation extends beyond direct refinery jobs to include construction, maintenance, logistics, and supporting services across multiple communities. Each partnership generates economic multiplier effects through local procurement and business linkages.
Managing Multiple Simultaneous Projects
Simbi’s achievement lay partly in managing multiple complex partnerships simultaneously while maintaining quality oversight. Coordinating construction activities across different states, managing various partner relationships, and ensuring consistent progress required sophisticated project management capabilities.
The Board tracked partnership progress through regular monitoring, with detailed status updates on construction milestones, equipment procurement, and operational readiness. This systematic approach prevented projects from stalling while ensuring accountability for both public and private sector commitments.
Partnership diversity — from 2,000 barrel per day facilities to 12,000 barrel per day operations, from oil refining to gas processing — demonstrated flexibility in deal structuring while maintaining strategic focus on domestic capacity building.
The Industrial Partnership Legacy
Simbi Wabote’s partnership strategy fundamentally altered Nigeria’s approach to industrial development in the energy sector. Rather than relying solely on government investment or private sector initiative, his model demonstrated how strategic public-private collaboration could rapidly build manufacturing capacity.
The progression from one operational refinery in 2020 to a network of facilities under construction across multiple states represents systematic industrial policy execution. Each partnership built on previous successes while expanding into new technical areas and geographic regions.
Whether measured by operational refineries, construction progress, or employment creation, Wabote’s partnership approach proved that government agencies could effectively catalyze private investment through equity participation and strategic support. The refinery network now under development stands as concrete evidence of successful industrial partnership management in one of Nigeria’s most critical economic sectors.
