Petroleum marketers in Rivers State have openly criticised the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Mr. Bayo Ojulari, for failing to visit the Port Harcourt refinery during his recent tour of the state’s oil and gas facilities.
The Host Communities Bulk Retailers Association of Port Harcourt Refinery expressed shock and disappointment in a statement on Tuesday, saying Ojulari’s visit to the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) facility in Bonny, without a corresponding visit to the refinery, “amounts to a disregard for the workforce and management of the Port Harcourt refinery.”
Marketers argue that while NLNG remains a strategic asset for the nation, the Port Harcourt refinery is critical to Nigeria’s refining capacity, local fuel supply, and regional economic stability.
“A courtesy visit to the Port Harcourt refinery would have significantly boosted the morale of staff, contractors, and stakeholders actively engaged in the plant’s rehabilitation,” the association said.
The controversy comes amid growing frustration over the refinery’s prolonged shutdown. Scheduled repairs that began on May 24, 2025, with an expected 30-day timeline, have now extended to over 80 days, with little visible progress. Emmanuel Inimgba, Eastern Zonal Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), called on Ojulari to either accelerate rehabilitation efforts or step aside.
“The delayed maintenance is being managed unprofessionally,” Inimgba said.
“Thousands of jobs, including those of tanker drivers, marketers, and community members, have been affected.
Immediate action is required to restore refinery operations, enhance fuel supply, and stimulate local economic growth.”
Sources reveal that contractors engaged in the rehabilitation project have reportedly withdrawn due to funding challenges, with no recorded visit from the GCEO to assess ongoing operations in four months.
Stakeholders argue that such inaction undermines both community trust and national energy security.
The marketers also warned that President Bola Tinubu’s wider reform agenda for the oil and gas sector could be jeopardized if the refinery remains neglected.
“If Mr. Ojulari cannot demonstrate commitment to reviving the Port Harcourt refinery, stakeholders may appeal to the President to consider a replacement,” Inimgba said.
Efforts to obtain an official comment from NNPC were unsuccessful.
Since the resignation of the former spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, in June 2025, the state-owned oil giant has not appointed a new public relations officer, leaving media enquiries largely unanswered.
Repeated attempts by journalists via email and verified social media channels went unacknowledged as of press time.
Despite the controversy, NNPC has reaffirmed its commitment to completing “high-grade rehabilitation” of the Port Harcourt refinery and has ruled out plans to sell the facility.
Meanwhile, reports suggest similar operational challenges at the Warri refinery, where some staff have reportedly not received salaries for the past four months, although the President of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, Williams Akporeha, declined to comment.
Industry analysts note that restoring the Port Harcourt refinery is essential not only for meeting domestic fuel demands but also for creating jobs, enhancing government revenue, and boosting investor confidence in Nigeria’s energy sector.
The current delay underscores the urgent need for proactive leadership and accountability in managing strategic national assets.