Nigerian oil marketers have expressed optimism that the long-awaited Port Harcourt Refinery will begin commercial production in the coming weeks. This announcement brings renewed hope that the refinery’s operation could alleviate the country’s persistent fuel shortages.
Billy Gillis-Harry, the national president of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), confirmed this development in an exclusive interview with DAILY POST on Monday.
Gillis-Harry shared insights from his recent visit to the refinery, noting that the facility appears ready to start producing petroleum products on a commercial scale.
He emphasized the significance of this development, stating that the full activation of the Port Harcourt Refinery, alongside the Dangote Refinery, could finally put an end to the fuel queues that have plagued Nigeria.
“Port Harcourt Refinery is gearing up to be on stream to produce Petroleum in commercial quantity. We pray and hope that in the coming days or weeks, this comes to light. I went personally to the refinery. I saw efforts in place to ensure the refinery works,” Gillis-Harry said.
In another discussion with oil and gas expert Zakka Bala, the importance of revitalizing Nigeria’s government-owned refineries was underscored. Bala argued that while the Dangote Refinery, a private entity, operates primarily for profit, the government-run refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna have a critical role in ensuring energy security for Nigerians.
“For me, I am bothered about the government-owned refinery. Dangote Refinery is a private business. The company is built to maximize profits. We need to understand why private businesses are profit-centered. The moment the private refineries start collecting crude allocation from national refineries, they will never want the refineries to come up again,” Bala noted.
This development follows previous statements by the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, who projected that the Port Harcourt refinery would begin operations in August 2024. Although earlier deadlines were missed, the recent progress offers a renewed sense of hope.
The Nigerian government approved a $1.5 billion budget for the refinery’s turnaround maintenance in 2021, aiming to restore the facility to full operation. However, this investment has also sparked scrutiny, with calls for an investigation into the use of these funds, particularly from Opeyemi Bamidele, Chairman of the Senate Committee investigating alleged economic sabotage in the Nigerian Petroleum Industry.
