Amid mounting anticipation, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited faces ongoing challenges in completing the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery. Despite federal backing and a $1.5 billion allocation since 2021, the refinery has yet to resume production, insiders revealed to The Bureau Newspaper.
The Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) operates two key facilities—a 60,000-barrels-per-stream-day (bpsd) plant and a newer 150,000-bpsd unit—giving it a total crude processing capacity of 210,000 bpsd. Although the NNPC has repeatedly assured the public of an imminent revival, insiders report significant technical setbacks, including aged infrastructure, corroded parts, and gaps in essential historical data.
A Series of Unmet Targets
The NNPC initiated repairs on May 6, 2021, but multiple deadlines have passed without success. Following failed delivery targets last December, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, promised a post-Christmas launch. Similarly, in March 2024, NNPC’s Group CEO, Mele Kyari, assured the nation of production by month’s end. As recently as August, Kyari set another start date, yet the refinery has remained idle.
‘Exploring Alternatives’
With continued delays, NNPC is considering various options to repurpose the facility. One approach outlined in internal documents involves retrofitting the plant to function as an oil blending facility, which would convert processed oil into market-ready lubricants. However, NNPC has denied this plan, maintaining its commitment to complete repairs, commission the refinery, and restore full processing capacity.
Despite official statements, the refinery remains under repair, and stakeholders continue to await real progress on one of Nigeria’s oldest refineries.