Old Port-Harcourt refinery not shut down – NNPC

In a statement issued today in Abuja, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, Olufemi Soneye, confirmed that the refinery is “fully operational.”

The statement highlighted that the 60,000 barrels-per-day capacity refinery, which resumed operations two months ago after years of inactivity, remains functional. Former Group Managing Directors of NNPC recently verified its operations.

Soneye further clarified that preparations for the day’s loading operations are underway and urged the public to disregard the reports, describing them as attempts by certain individuals to create artificial scarcity and exploit Nigerians.

The refinery, which was shut down in 2019, underwent repairs funded by the Federal Government’s $1.5 billion (1.2 billion euros) approval three years ago.

Despite being a major crude oil producer, Nigeria has long relied on importing petroleum products due to insufficient local refining capacity.

This has led to a practice of crude-for-petrol swaps, which, along with subsidies, significantly drained foreign reserves.

In September 2024, the Dangote refinery began petrol production, marking a shift in Nigeria’s refining capabilities.

Meanwhile, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, announced that the new 150,000 barrels-per-day Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) complex is expected to commence operations by mid-2025.

Kyari also emphasized the capacity of the operational old refinery to supply 200,000 trucks with various products daily, noting that delays in its restoration were due to the need for a complete overhaul using brand-new machinery.