The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has again failed to commence operations at the Port Harcourt Refinery after about six postponements.
Since December 2023, NNPC, which is in charge of all the government refineries, has given Nigerians different dates, assuring citizens that the refinery would begin the sale of refined products soon.
In July, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, stated categorically that the refinery would come into operation in early August.
The same Kyari said in 2019 that the NNPC would deliver all the country’s four refineries before the end of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
While appearing before the senate recently in July, Kyari boasted, “I can confirm to you, Mr Chairman, that by the end of the year, this country will be a net exporter of petroleum products.
“Specific to NNPC refineries, we have spoken to a number of your committees, and it is impossible to have the Kaduna refinery come into operation before December, it will get to December, both Warri and Kaduna, but that of Port Harcourt will commence production early August this year.”
However, as August nears midpoint, the refinery has yet to commence operations, creating concerns that this might be another failed promise from NNPC.
In an inquiry from The PUNCH on Tuesday, the NNPC said it was on course, even when the early August promise has expired.
The NNPC spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, tersely replied, “We are on course.” Soneye did not reply to further questions, asking if he meant the refinery would still operate this month.
Recall that the 210,000 barrels per day refinery was said to have reached what the NNPC called mechanical completion of rehabilitation work in December.
It stated that the facility would start refining 60,000 barrels of crude oil daily after last year’s Christmas break.
Later in January, Kyari said the refinery was being tested and would be ready by the end of January.
During the second month of the year, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited completed the supply of 475,000 barrels of crude oil to the Port Harcourt refinery, raising the expectations of marketers that production was set to commence.
This came a few weeks after NNPC said in January it was seeking to engage reputable and credible operations and maintenance companies to run the Port Harcourt refinery. NNPC did not disclose whether or not it had secured bidders to run the refinery.
In mid-March, Kyari said the Port Harcourt refinery would commence operations in two weeks, April.
“We are serving this country with honour and dignity. And we will make sure that the promises we make on the rehabilitation of these refineries will take place,” Kyari stated after he appeared before the Senate Ad-hoc Committee investigating the various turnaround maintenance projects of the country’s refineries.