After years of inactivity, the Port Harcourt Refinery has officially resumed the production and distribution of essential petroleum products, including Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), and Household Kerosene (HHK). The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited confirmed the development on Tuesday, highlighting the successful re-streaming of the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), fulfilling its long-awaited promise.
The announcement signals a major step forward in Nigeria’s energy independence, with the refinery now processing crude oil and supplying key petroleum products to the market. The NNPC reported that fuel trucks have already started loading products, with additional product batches set to be dispatched soon.
During a ceremony in Port Harcourt to mark the commencement of product loading, NNPC Group CEO Mele Kyari hailed the milestone as a significant achievement for Nigeria. He emphasized that the resumption of operations represents the dawn of a new era in the country’s quest for energy security and economic growth.
Kyari expressed his gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his steadfast support and commitment to the refinery’s rehabilitation, acknowledging the president’s vital role in ensuring the country’s energy security. He also extended his thanks to the NNPC Board of Directors and staff for their dedication, which led to the successful re-streaming of the refinery.
He further recognized the efforts of contractors who overcame various challenges to deliver the project, and thanked Nigerians for their patience and trust in NNPC’s ability to rehabilitate the country’s other refineries.
In a show of support, Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream & Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), congratulated the NNPC on the achievement. He assured that his agency would continue to back the completion of ongoing rehabilitation efforts at other refineries across the country.
The Port Harcourt Refinery rehabilitation project, described as an Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Installation & Commissioning (EPCIC) initiative, has already achieved over 16 million manhours without a single loss-time injury, according to NNPC. The project aims to restore the refinery to full operational capacity, a vital component in strengthening Nigeria’s energy infrastructure.
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