The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has announced the temporary closure of the Port Harcourt Refinery in Rivers State for a month-long maintenance operation.
In an official statement released on Saturday, the company confirmed that the facility will undergo maintenance for one month, starting Saturday, May 24, according to Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer.
The announcement has, however, caused rancor among fuel retailers who believe the one-month maintenance break would result in fuel shortages and excessively hiked prices.
NNPCL stated that the shutdown is part of routine maintenance designed to enhance the refineryโs efficiency.
The statement read:
“NNPC Ltd wishes to inform the general public that the Port Harcourt Refining Company will undergo a planned maintenance shutdown.
โThis scheduled maintenance and sustainability assessment will commence on May 24, 2025,โ he said.
โWe are working closely with all relevant stakeholders, including the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority to ensure the maintenance and assessment activities are carried out efficiently and transparently.”
Speaking on the impact of the month-long maintenance break, retailers within the Eleme and Okrika communities, where the refinery is located, have expressed concerns, noting that:
“We are worried about the potential shortage of fuel and the attendant price hikes,” said a fuel retailer in Eleme.
“We urge the NNPCL to ensure that fuel supply remains uninterrupted during the maintenance period.”
It was alleged that the shutdown of the Port Harcourt refinery comes amid swirling allegations of corruption and mismanagement of funds allocated for the refinery’s renovation.
Earlier reports indicated that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) launched an investigation into the dismissed managing directors of the Port Harcourt Refining Company, Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, and Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company over the alleged mismanagement of funds totaling $2,956,872,622.36.
The investigation uncovered N80 billion in the bank account of one of the sacked MDs, raising serious concerns about transparency and accountability within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Additionally, it was revealed that the probe also implicated the immediate past Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, along with 13 other former top executives.
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