The Port Harcourt Refinery, which resumed operations recently after extensive rehabilitation, has halted operations just days after recommissioning. Despite an earlier announcement by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) that crude oil processing had commenced and a plan for 200 trucks to load refined products daily, the refinery’s loading bay remains inactive. This development has raised concerns about the refinery’s operational reliability, especially after the Nigerian government invested $1.5 billion in its rehabilitation. The refinery, with an installed capacity of 210,000 barrels per day, was expected to play a crucial role in reducing Nigeria’s reliance on imported fuel .
This setback is a blow to the Federal Government’s agenda to revitalize domestic fuel production and halt petroleum imports by December 2024. It also casts doubt on similar plans for other refineries, such as Warri and Kaduna, which are slated to begin operations in 2024. Stakeholders have called for greater transparency and accountability in managing the nation’s critical energy infrastructure, citing decades of inefficiency and waste in the refining sector .