The Port Harcourt Refinery, a major refinery under the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), has missed yet another deadline to commence operations, leaving citizens in Nigeria disappointed and concerned.
The refinery, which has been undergoing rehabilitation work since December 2023, was initially expected to start producing refined products in early August. However, with the deadline having passed, the NNPC has failed to provide a new timeline for the refinery’s commencement.
Despite assurances from the NNPC that the refinery would be ready to operate by the end of January, and subsequent promises made in March and July, the facility remains idle. The NNPC’s spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, has only reiterated that the refinery is “on course,” without providing a specific timeline for its commencement.
Citizens are frustrated by the repeated delays and lack of transparency from the NNPC regarding the refinery’s progress. The country’s reliance on imported fuel has resulted in significant financial losses, with Nigeria spending up to N2 trillion monthly on fuel imports.
The failure of the Port Harcourt refinery is not an isolated incident. The country’s three major refineries have been moribund for years, with previous attempts to revive them ending in disappointment. The Dangote Group’s President, Aliko Dangote, has revealed that the Federal Government has spent $4 billion attempting to revive the refineries.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has also weighed in on the issue, blaming corruption and poor management for the refineries’ failure. Obasanjo recalled how he was unable to secure Shell’s help in running the refineries during his presidency, and criticized his successor for rejecting a private takeover bid for the refineries.
The Senate has also raised concerns over the $1.5 billion loan approved in 2021 for the renovation of the Port Harcourt refinery, questioning why government-owned refineries are being treated as “orphans” while private companies are thriving.
As Nigerians continue to wait for the refinery to commence operations, they are left wondering if it will ever become a reality.
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