The Port Harcourt Refining Company, managed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), has yet again delayed its operational start date, marking the sixth postponement. This development has left Nigerians disappointed, as promises made by the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the NNPCL have repeatedly failed to materialize.
Since December 2023, NNPCL has issued several assurances that the refinery would soon begin producing refined products. In July, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, confidently stated that the refinery would be operational by early August. This follows his 2019 promise that all government-owned refineries would be fully functional before the end of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
However, with August already halfway through, the Port Harcourt refinery remains inactive, raising concerns about yet another unfulfilled promise. On Tuesday, NNPCL spokesperson Olufemi Soneye simply stated, “We are on course,” when asked about the missed deadline, but did not elaborate on when the refinery would actually begin operations.
The Port Harcourt refinery, which has a capacity of 210,000 barrels per day, was said to have reached “mechanical completion” in December. It was expected to refine 60,000 barrels of crude oil daily after the Christmas break. Despite earlier claims of readiness, the refinery has yet to commence production, with delays attributed to pending regulatory approvals from international bodies.
Nigerians, who have long relied on imported fuel due to the country’s limited refining capacity, are growing increasingly frustrated. The continued delays in reviving the nation’s refineries have contributed to the country spending up to ₦2 trillion monthly on imported fuel.
Efforts to rehabilitate the Port Harcourt refinery have so far cost the Federal Government billions of dollars, with no tangible results to show.
