- The Port Harcourt refinery has missed its seventh production rollout deadline, disappointing Nigerians once again.
- Despite repeated assurances from the NNPC and the Ministry of Petroleum, the refinery remains non-operational, with no clear updates.
- Maire Tecnimont, the contractor, promises to provide a completion timeline by October 2, amid growing skepticism from the public.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has again failed to begin fuel production at the Port Harcourt refinery in Rivers State.
This is despite the refinery failing to commence operations after about six postponements as of August 2024.
It was observed that promises made to Nigerians by the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and NNPC about the refinery have continued to hit brick walls.
After the failure of the early August promise, the Chief Financial Officer of the NNPC, Umar Ajiya, said the Port Harcourt refinery will commence operations in September 2024.
Speaking to journalists in August, Ajiya had said petroleum products would be ready for testing before being supplied to the domestic market in September.
As of September 30, the NNPC did not give an update about the refinery.
According to Punch, enquiry attempts made to the NNPC were not attended to.
However, Maire Tecnimont SpA, the contractor overseeing the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery, said it would provide details on the project’s completion by or before October 2.
The contractor conveyed this through a law firm, Olajide Oyewole LLP, in response to a letter from a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, who had inquired about the completion timeline for the refinery’s rehabilitation.
In reply to Falana’s request, the law firm stated that its client received his letters dated September 17 and 24, regarding the contract with the NNPC and is considering the inquiries.
“Our client is considering your letters and they intend to get back to you on or before 2 October 2024,” the law firm had said.
NNPC shifts its focus to CNG, reduces interest in Dangote refinery
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited confirmed that it had scaled back its interest in the Dangote Petroleum Refinery from 20% to 7.2%, reallocating resources to invest in compressed natural gas (CNG).
Femi Soneye, the spokesperson for NNPC, pointed out that CNG represented a budget-friendly choice for Nigerians, adding, “Switching to CNG would save Nigerians money.”
