The 210,000-barrel-per-day Port Harcourt refinery is poised to finally begin operations by the end of July, following several postponements. This was revealed on Monday by Chief Ukadike Chinedu, the National Public Relations Officer of the Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).
Chief Chinedu highlighted the anticipated economic benefits of the refinery’s operation, including reduced petroleum product prices and a more reliable supply. Last December, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, announced the mechanical completion of the largest crude refinery in Port Harcourt. The refinery complex comprises two units: an older plant with a 60,000 BPD capacity and a newer one capable of processing 150,000 BPD.
The refinery was shut down in March 2019 for extensive repairs after the government enlisted Italy’s Maire Tecnimont as a technical adviser, with oil major Eni providing further technical support. In March 2024, Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, promised that the refinery would begin operations within two weeks, a commitment yet to be fulfilled two months later.
In an exclusive interview on Monday gleaned from the Punch Newspaper, Chief Chinedu assured that the refinery was near completion, with significant upgrades transforming it into a virtually new facility. “The turnaround on maintenance is extensive, with work being conducted around the clock. We expect the refinery to be operational by the end of July,” he said.
Addressing past delays, Chinedu acknowledged previous unmet deadlines but confirmed that the refinery is now 99 per cent ready, with no current obstacles. He also emphasised the importance of competition in the industry, noting the impending start of operations at both the Port Harcourt and Dangote refineries.
Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group, recently announced at the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali that the Dangote Refinery would begin petrol production by the end of June. He assured that the refinery’s capacity would eliminate the need for Nigeria to import petrol, catering to the entire West African market’s fuel needs.
Nigeria’s current expenditure on petrol imports stands at approximately N520 billion monthly, translating to an annual import bill of around N6.2 trillion. The start of local production is expected to significantly reduce this financial burden.
Femi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPCL, stated that the only remaining hurdle for the Port Harcourt refinery’s launch is obtaining regulatory approvals from international bodies. “Mechanical completion has been achieved, and all systems are operational. We are awaiting necessary approvals, particularly those related to nuclear materials used at the site,” he explained.
With these approvals anticipated soon, the long-awaited operation of the Port Harcourt refinery is set to mark a significant milestone in Nigeria’s energy sector.
