The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has called out the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) over the prolonged delay in the completion of the new 210,000 barrels per day (bpd) Port Harcourt refinery project. This comes six months after the national oil firm pledged that the facility would soon be operational, a promise yet to be fulfilled.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday by its Publicity Secretary, Joseph Obele, PETROAN expressed deep concern over what it described as repeated missed deadlines and lack of transparency surrounding the rehabilitation and expansion of the refinery.
The new refinery project, located in Alesa Eleme, Rivers State, was supposed to significantly boost Nigeria’s refining capacity and help reduce reliance on imported petroleum products. Its delay has, however, continued to fuel anxiety within the downstream sector, particularly among marketers who believe the refinery is critical to ensuring local fuel sufficiency.
“We cannot stress enough the urgent need for commissioning, transparency, and accountability regarding the second Port Harcourt refinery with the capacity of 210,000 barrels per day,” the statement read. “Despite numerous assurances from the NNPC, the project has suffered repeated setbacks. We therefore demand a specific and realistic timeline for its completion.”
PETROAN had previously praised NNPC for completing the old 60,000bpd Port Harcourt refinery, which was relaunched in November 2023. At the time, NNPC spokesperson Olufemi Soneye assured that the larger facility would follow “soon,” but no further updates have been provided.
The National President of PETROAN, Billy Gillis-Harry, underscored the economic and social cost of the delays. “The continuous delay in the completion of the refinery project is unacceptable. Nigerians deserve to know when the project will be delivered. The huge amount of money borrowed for this rehabilitation raises accountability concerns that must be addressed,” he said.
Gillis-Harry also pointed out that the vacant office of the Managing Director for the Port Harcourt refinery might be contributing to the stalled progress. He urged NNPC’s Group CEO to urgently appoint a substantive head to drive the project forward.
Industry insiders note that the refinery’s completion is critical in achieving the federal government’s long-standing goal of reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuel, which has been a major drain on the country’s foreign reserves.
Beyond the call for a clear timeline, PETROAN is also pushing for presidential intervention. The group urged President Bola Tinubu to set up a high-level stakeholder panel that includes representatives from key industry associations such as NUPENG, PENGASSAN, DAPPMAN, MEMA, and NMDPRA. The goal, according to PETROAN, is to identify bottlenecks, enforce accountability, and ensure the timely completion of the refinery.
“The economic hardship faced by millions of Nigerians due to unreliable fuel supply and high pump prices makes this issue urgent. If completed, the refinery can stabilize prices, ease forex pressure, and reduce the burden on our import-reliant system,” PETROAN said.
Despite efforts by journalists to get a response from NNPC, its spokesperson, Mr. Soneye, has yet to respond to multiple inquiries regarding the status of the Port Harcourt refinery.
As fuel scarcity and soaring prices continue to plague the nation, stakeholders are now demanding not just reassurances, but measurable actions from the NNPC and government to complete the long-awaited refinery upgrade.