The Port Harcourt Refining Company is set to undergo a critical maintenance shutdown that could last up to 30 days, sparking backlash from fuel marketers and community stakeholders who accuse refinery leadership of sabotage.
While some sources claimed the refinery had already been shut down as of Thursday night, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) clarified on Friday that the facility was still operational but preparing for a scheduled safety maintenance exercise.
Fuel retailers in Eleme and Okrika, the host communities of the Port Harcourt refinery, expressed strong opposition to the planned shutdown. In a joint statement, key officials from the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) alleged that the shutdown was ordered by Engr. Bayo Adenrele, the refinery coordinator, without transparency or community consultation.
“We, the Host Community Petroleum Bulk Retailers of the Port Harcourt Refinery Depot, are compelled to expose the sinister actions of the refinery coordinator, who we believe is acting in the interest of a private refinery,” the statement read.
According to PETROAN, the shutdown order undermines the functionality of the newly refurbished 60,000 barrels-per-day (bpd) refinery and threatens the economic interests of host communities and workers engaged in operations and maintenance activities.
They argued that sidelining the Port Harcourt refinery would boost the market dominance of private refineries particularly Dangote’s potentially resulting in higher fuel prices and deeper economic hardship for ordinary Nigerians.
“We will hold the refinery coordinator accountable if this shutdown causes a fuel crisis,” the group warned.
The statement also accused the refinery coordinator of consistently marginalizing host communities during the rehabilitation phase by denying them contract opportunities, employment, and benefits from scrap sales. They further alleged that Adenrele’s actions have delayed the completion of the Crude Reforming Unit (CRU) and obstructed progress on other key refinery areas.
The group demanded his immediate removal and called on top government officials including the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, and NNPC Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari to intervene. They also appealed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio to ensure that “saboteurs” do not undermine years of government investment and rehabilitation efforts.
In response, Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC, denied the allegations of sabotage and clarified that the maintenance was routine and necessary.
“The refinery remains fully operational,” Soneye said. “However, we are preparing to undertake a scheduled critical safety maintenance exercise aimed at ensuring continued safe and sustainable operation. This will follow global best practices and last approximately one month.”
He added that adequate supplies of diesel, kerosene, and other products were already in place to prevent disruptions during the maintenance period.
Despite resuming operations in November 2024 after years of inactivity, the Port Harcourt refinery has faced scrutiny regarding its capacity to produce Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). Industry stakeholders, including the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), recently stated that the facility primarily produces naphtha and not PMS at optimal levels.
“Our members won’t source petrol from the Port Harcourt or Warri refineries because they’re not producing PMS efficiently. They’re producing naphtha,” said DAPPMAN Executive Secretary Olufemi Adewole.
At 70% of its installed capacity, the revamped refinery currently produces daily outputs of:
- 1.5 million litres of diesel (AGO)
- 2.1 million litres of low pour fuel oil
- 1.4 million litres of blended PMS from Straight-Run Gasoline (naphtha)
- 900,000 litres of kerosene
NNPC has pledged to ramp up production to 90% capacity and has dismissed speculation that the refinery relies on blending operations at Indorama Petrochemicals to meet fuel output targets.
As the refinery braces for its temporary closure, industry observers and local communities alike are watching closely, wary of any development that could derail progress or threaten fuel supply stability in the country.
