Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, PETROAN, has raised the alarm over persistent delays in the completion of the Port Harcourt Refinery rehabilitation project, describing the situation as unacceptable and economically dangerous for the country.
Despite repeated assurances from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPC, the 150,000 barrels-per-day capacity refinery in Alesa-Eleme has missed multiple deadlines, fueling public frustration, continued dependence on imported petroleum products, and heightened price volatility across the country.
While PETROAN acknowledged the recent restart of operations at the smaller, 60,000 barrels-per-day section of the refinery, the group emphasized that the larger facility, crucial to Nigeria’s fuel sufficiency, remains stalled without a clear end in sight.
Calling for urgent action, the association led by its National President, Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, demanded that NNPC publish a specific and realistic timeline for the completion and commissioning of the main Port Harcourt Refinery and commit to transparent and regular updates on the project’s progress.
“The continuous delay in the completion of the Port Harcourt Refinery rehabilitation project is unacceptable. Nigerians deserve to know when this project will be completed. The huge amount borrowed for the project should be a serious concern to all citizens, and we will demand accountability for every Naira spent.
“Nigerians and stakeholders want to know the exact date of delivery of this project. The Nigerian people deserve clarity on when the second refinery will begin operations and help reduce the nation’s chronic fuel scarcity.”
PETROAN further called on President Bola Tinubu to personally intervene by setting up a high-level facilitating panel including key stakeholders such as NMDPRA, NUPENG, PENGASSAN, MEMAN, DAPPMAN, and PETROAN itself to identify bottlenecks and ensure swift completion of the project.
In addition, the group pointed to a leadership vacuum as a critical challenge.
“The vacancy in the office of the Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Refinery is a significant barrier to progress,” PETROAN warned, urging the NNPC’s Group CEO to appoint a substantive MD to drive the project to completion.
PETROAN stressed that the continued delay undermines national goals for energy self-sufficiency, adds pressure to the naira through petroleum imports, and intensifies hardship for ordinary Nigerians.
“It is imperative that decisive action is taken to bring this project to fruition without further delay.”
As fuel price continue to stay high across the country following the removal of petrol subsidy, pressure is mounting on authorities to turn promises into action and deliver on the long-awaited refinery revamp, one many hoped would bring lasting relief to Nigeria’s troubled downstream sector.
