By Cynthia Abah
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has denied claims made by Timothy Mgbere, a community leader from Alesa in Rivers State, who accused the company of misrepresenting the operational status of the Port Harcourt refinery.
Mgbere appeared on national television, asserting that the refinery was not producing fuel, contradicting NNPCL’s public statements.
In response, NNPCL spokesperson Olufemi Soneye dismissed Mgbere’s accusations, suggesting that they stemmed from a misunderstanding of refinery operations.
Soneye explained that the Port Harcourt refineries—both old and new—are integrated, sharing facilities such as power, storage, and a single terminal for product load-out.
He emphasized that while products are trucked from the new refinery, it does not imply that the older refinery is non-functional.
Soneye also countered Mgbere’s claim that the petrol being loaded was old stock, arguing that it was impossible for such stock to be transferred between the refineries.
According to NNPCL, the refinery is operating at 90% capacity and currently producing 1.4 million liters of PMS (premium motor spirit) daily, along with other products like diesel and kerosene.
The company advised the public to disregard Mgbere’s comments as misleading and based on misinformation.
However, this situation has sparked some debate. While some experts have raised concerns about the refinery’s transparency and the sourcing of its crude oil feedstock, others, including the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), are cautiously optimistic, awaiting further developments to verify whether the refinery’s output will continue reliably.
