The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has denied recent media reports alleging that the recently reopened Port Harcourt Refinery has ceased operations.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the company’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, emphasized that the refinery remains fully operational and that preparations for loading petroleum products were ongoing.
Soneye responded to claims that the facility had stopped functioning just weeks after its reopening. Refuting these reports, he stated, “The attention of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has been drawn to reports…alleging that the Old Port Harcourt Refinery…has been shut down.”
“We wish to clarify that such reports are totally false as the refinery is fully operational as verified a few days ago by former Group Managing Directors of NNPC.”
The NNPCL suggested the misinformation was intended to create artificial scarcity and exploit Nigerians. Soneye urged the public to disregard the claims, stressing that the refinery continues to produce various petroleum products, including straight-run gasoline, kerosene, diesel, and cooking gas.
“Preparation for the day’s loading operation is currently ongoing,” he said in the statement.
He urged members of the public to disregard the report saying the malicious reports were the work of individuals attempting to create artificial scarcity and exploit Nigerians.
“Members of the public are advised to discountenance such reports as they are the figments of the imagination of those who want to create artificial scarcity and rip-off Nigerians,” he stressed.
The refinery’s revival marks a milestone for Nigeria’s energy sector. Initially established in 1965, the old unit had been inactive since 1990. Following a $1.5 billion rehabilitation effort, the facility was relaunched in November 2024 under Mele Kyari’s leadership. It now produces millions of liters of refined petroleum daily.
