The Port Harcourt refinery is set to resume operations by the end of July, News About Nigeria reports.
The announcement was made by Chief Ukadike Chinedu, National Public Relations Officer of the Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria.
“The development will stimulate economic activities, reduce the price of petroleum products, and ensure an adequate supply,” Chief Ukadike said.
The Port Harcourt refinery, with a substantial capacity of 210,000 barrels per day, has undergone extensive repair and upgrade work.
The refinery comprises two units: an older unit with a refining capacity of 60,000 barrels per day and a newer unit capable of handling 150,000 barrels per day.
This large-scale refurbishment began in March 2019, when the refinery was shut down for its first phase of repair works.
The Nigerian government had engaged Maire Tecnimont of Italy as the technical adviser for the reviews of the refinery complex, and oil giant Eni was appointed as the technical adviser.
The completion of the mechanical upgrades was announced by Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, in December 2023.
Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, had initially stated that the refinery would commence operations by mid-March 2024.
During a press briefing following his appearance before the Senate Ad hoc committee investigating various turnaround maintenance projects for the country’s refineries, Kyari mentioned that the refinery had already stocked crude oil and was undergoing necessary regulatory compliance tests.
However, despite his assurance, operations had not commenced two months later.
The revised start date in July coincides with another event in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector—the proposed commencement of petrol production at the Dangote Refinery by the end of June.
Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group, announced at the Africa CEO Forum annual summit in Kigali that Nigeria would no longer need to import petrol once the Dangote Refinery starts operations.
