The recent shutdown of the Port Harcourt Refinery by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has triggered backlash from key players in the downstream petroleum sector, who allege that the plant had not been producing petrol months before the announcement.
Despite NNPC’s assertion that the refinery is undergoing scheduled maintenance, industry groups including the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) have accused the corporation of merely saving face, as the facility was allegedly non-operational in terms of petrol output since early 2025.
In a statement issued Saturday, NNPC spokesperson Olufemi Soneye confirmed that the Port Harcourt Refining Company would undergo a planned one-month maintenance and sustainability assessment exercise beginning May 24, 2025.
However, speaking to our correspondent, IPMAN’s National Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Ukadike, challenged the timing and necessity of the shutdown, arguing that no significant refining activity had occurred at the plant in recent months.
“The refinery has not been producing fuel for the past three months, yet NNPC is just now announcing a shutdown. This announcement is nothing but a public relations move,” Ukadike alleged.
He added that petrol supply to the domestic market has largely been sustained by imports and supply from the Dangote refinery. “Marketers have relied on Dangote and imports. The Port Harcourt facility being offline doesn’t affect anyone because it was not contributing to the fuel supply chain,” he said.
Ukadike also criticized the NNPC leadership, stating that a complete overhaul should have been prioritized instead of a partial restart that has now culminated in another shutdown. “Recommissioning a refinery only to shut it down again within six months points to systemic failure,” he stated.
PETROAN has echoed these concerns. Its President, Billy Gillis-Harry, warned that the shutdown, if not carefully managed, could lead to supply disruptions, job losses, and economic strain. He further expressed skepticism over the NNPC’s 30-day timeline for the repair.
“The 30-day schedule may not be realistic due to bureaucratic bottlenecks. We recommend that the repair process include the installation of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) blending unit. Without it, the refinery’s crude cracking process is of no value,” Gillis-Harry warned.
He also called for the formation of a petroleum industry task force to monitor and publicly report progress on the repair works weekly. “There must be transparency. Let Nigerians see what’s happening. Let us avoid a repeat of past failures,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) also raised eyebrows over NNPC’s operations. According to its Executive Secretary, Olufemi Adewole, the revamped Port Harcourt and Warri refineries were primarily producing naphtha, not PMS.
“Our members will not lift petrol from these refineries because they’re not producing it optimally. Instead, we look to Dangote refinery or importation, which is permitted by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA),” Adewole clarified.
Notably, in November 2024, NNPC announced with fanfare that the Port Harcourt refinery had resumed operations after years of inactivity. It claimed the facility was running at 70% capacity, producing diesel, low pour fuel oil, naphtha (for blending into petrol), kerosene, and LPG. However, critics argue that blending through Indorama Petrochemicals – a sister company – was being passed off as in-house petrol production.
NNPC has dismissed claims of underperformance and sabotage. Soneye insisted that the refinery was operating as expected and that the shutdown was strictly for safety maintenance. “This activity will follow global best practices, ensuring sustainable operation. We have sufficient stock of AGO, kerosene, and other products to cushion any shortfall,” he said.
Yet, skepticism persists among stakeholders, with many calling for an audit of NNPC’s refinery operations to determine why years of multi-billion-naira rehabilitation have failed to deliver tangible results in petrol output.
With fuel availability and pricing remaining volatile in Nigeria, the refinery’s inability to contribute meaningfully to the domestic market raises pressing questions about the future of state-owned refineries. As reliance on private sector-driven solutions like Dangote refinery grows, industry watchers are urging the government to ensure transparency, efficiency, and accountability in all oil infrastructure projects.