Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, has confirmed that the Port Harcourt Refinery is operating at 70% of its installed capacity.
He shared this update following a fact-finding visit to the facility on Wednesday. The refinery, which processes 60,000 barrels of crude oil per day, has dispelled rumors of inactivity or lack of crude supply, according to Onanuga.
In a statement titled “Putting to Rest Rumours about Port Harcourt Refinery Complex: Our Fact-Finding Mission,” Onanuga explained that his team, led by the refinery’s Managing Director Ibrahim Onoja, conducted a comprehensive tour of the facility.
The team visited key areas, including the computerized control room and the loading bay, and sought clarity on various operational concerns.
According to Onanuga: “I was part of a fact-finding team that visited the 60,000 barrels daily Port Harcourt Refining Complex on Wednesday. I will now share our findings.
“Our team, guided by the refinery’s Managing Director Ibrahim Onoja, toured the entire complex, from the computerised control room to the loading bay and every section in between. We asked pointed questions and received satisfactory answers, dispelling our doubts and misconceptions.
“Nigerians must ignore naysayers and false information about the refinery’s operations. While it is not currently running at 100%, it is functioning at 70% installed capacity, with plans to increase production shortly.
“Furthermore, the refinery receives regular crude supplies, contrary to claims that it lacks crude to refine.”
He commended NNPCL for reviving “this dead asset,” on the “verge of becoming a museum piece.”
Earlier in November, NNPCL spokesperson Olufemi Soneye announced that the refinery had resumed operations at 60% capacity. The facility has a total installed capacity of 250,000 barrels per day, and ongoing efforts aim to restore it to full production levels in the near future.
