The 210,000-barrel-per-day Port Harcourt refinery is expected to commence operations by the end of July after several delays. This was announced by Chief Ukadike Chinedu, the National Public Relations Officer of the Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria, on Monday. He noted that the refinery’s operation would stimulate economic activities, reduce petroleum product prices, and ensure adequate supply.
Last December, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Heineken Lokpobiri announced the mechanical completion and flare start-off of the refinery, which comprises two units: an older plant with a capacity of 60,000 barrels per day and a new plant with a 150,000 BPD capacity. The refinery had shut down in March 2019 for repair works, with Maire Tecnimont of Italy and oil major Eni involved in the review and advisory roles.
In March 2024, NNPC Limited’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, stated that the refinery would commence operations within two weeks, following regulatory compliance tests. However, operations had not started two months later.
In a recent interview, Chinedu emphasized that the work done represented a complete turnaround rather than mere rehabilitation. He stated, “When we visited the place, the MD told us that the refinery was almost ready and by the end of July, they would start producing. It has been turned into a new one, and everything there is almost like a brand-new refinery.” He assured that all efforts were being made to meet the July deadline.
Addressing previous delays, Chinedu mentioned that no specific reasons were given for the last deadline in April. He asserted that the refinery was 99 percent ready and expressed optimism about competition in the market, which would benefit the nation by reducing petrol prices.
This new timeline aligns with the Dangote Refinery’s proposal to commence petrol production by the end of June. Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group, assured that Nigeria would no longer need to import petrol starting next month. The Dangote Refinery is expected to meet West Africa’s petrol and diesel needs and the continent’s aviation fuel demand.
With an average monthly consumption of 1 billion liters, Nigeria currently spends approximately N520 billion on petrol imports each month, translating to a potential reduction of N6.2 trillion in the yearly import bill.
Femi Soneye, NNPCL’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, explained that regulatory approvals from international bodies were the only remaining hurdle for the refinery’s operation. He confirmed that mechanical completion was achieved and all pipes were operating flawlessly, with crude oil supplied by Shell. He noted, “We are only waiting for regulatory approvals. Some of our materials require nuclear authority approvals from bodies outside Nigeria. Once we receive those approvals, we can start operations.”