The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has attributed the recent closure of the Port Harcourt Refinery by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to what it describes as poor management, despite the $1.5 billion invested in its overhaul.
Speaking during a press briefing on Saturday, PETROANโs National President, Billy Gillis-Harry, criticized the decision, which follows an official announcement by NNPCL declaring the facility shut down.
According to a statement released by NNPCL spokesperson Olufemi Soneye, the refinery has been closed for scheduled maintenance and a sustainability review set to begin on May 24, 2025. The statement, however, did not specify a timeline for when operations would resume.
Gillis-Harry questioned the rationale behind the shutdown, especially so soon after the facility was declared operational in November 2024. He said the development reflects a troubling lack of competence and transparency among those managing the refinery.
“The shutdown of the state-owned refinery showed that the managers of Port Harcourt Refinery are incompetent and insincere all along,” he expressed.
Just days earlier, PETROAN had also expressed concern over delays in the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries, particularly given the Port Harcourt facilityโs projected capacity of 210,000 barrels per day.
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