Tag: Port Harcourt Refinery

“$1.5bn spent on P’Harcourt refinery with no fuel to show for it” – Atiku blasts NNPCL 

Aminu Imam
Atiku on refineries

Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over its reported admission that reopening the Port Harcourt Refinery is no longer economically viable, describing the development as a vindication of his long-held call for the privatisation of Nigeria’s refineries. In a statement shared on his official X handle yesterday, Atiku said the acknowledgement by the national oil company, after spending about $1.5 billion on the refinery, confirms that continued public investment in the country’s moribund refineries is a waste of scarce resources. “At last, the…

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NNPCL rules out Port-Harcourt refinery sale

Aminu Imam
NNPCL rules out

‎‎The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, (NNPCL) has officially ruled out the sale of the Port-Harcourt Refining Company, reaffirming its commitment to completing high-grade rehabilitation and retention of the plant. Its Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari, made the announcement during a company-wide town hall meeting at the NNPCL Towers in Abuja, ending weeks of speculation over the future of the country’s most prominent state-owned refining asset. ‎A statement by the company management yesterday read: “The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has officially ruled out the sale of the Port-Harcourt…

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NNPCL shuts down Port-Harcourt Refinery

Aminu Imam
NNPC on P'H refinery

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has officially announced the shutdown of the Port-Harcourt Refining Company. In an issued statement yesterday, the NNPCL said that the facility will be shut down for a month for maintenance activities. According to the NNPCL Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, the shutdown will commence yesterday. “NNPC Ltd wishes to inform the general public that the Port Harcourt Refining Company will undergo a planned maintenance shutdown. This scheduled maintenance and sustainability assessment will commence on May 24, 2025”, he said. Soneye added that…

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Obasanjo slams NNPCL over invitation to inspect refineries

Aminu Imam
Obasanjo slams NNPCL

…Says ‘it’s disrespectful’ Former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has berated the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd., (NNPCL), over an invitation extended to him to inspect refineries, noting that it is disrespectful. The state oil company had through its spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, invited the former president for a tour of the Port-Harcourt and Warri refineries. The corporation’s invitation followed an interview on a television programme on Thursday, during which Obasanjo recounted failed efforts to privatise oil plants in the country. The former president expressed frustration over the mismanagement of…

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“Yar’Adua voided refineries sale over conflict of interest” – Falana to Obasanjo

Aminu Imam
Falana to Obasanjo

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) yesterday attributed the Federal  Government’s  cancellation of a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) arrangement for the management of the Port-Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries approved by the Obasanjo government in 2007 to the questionable circumstances surrounding the deal. Falana, responding to the Thursday statement by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo on how his successor, the Late Umaru Yar Adua, refunded the $750 million paid by a consortium to run the refineries, said the deal lacked transparency. The activist, in a statement issued on behalf of Alliance on Surviving Covid…

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After gulping $1.5bn rehabilitation,

Aminu Imam
P'Harcourt refinery shuts down

 P’Harcourt refinery shuts down again  The Port-Harcourt Refining Company has stopped operating, just weeks after it appeared to restart production. Recall  that there were earlier reports during a recent visit to the refinery on December 19, showing that the facility was no longer producing PMS The refinery stopped distributing gasoline on December 13. When visited, the facilitys 18-arm loading area, where trucks normally fill up with petrol, was empty. While 18 trucks were parked along the main road to the refinery, and 9 more were in the parking area, none…

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After $1.5bn overhaul, Old P’Harcourt Refinery battles to refine image

Aminu Imam
Kaduna Refinery complex

Nigerias iconic Port-Harcourt Refinery, once a symbol of the nations industrial ambition, is facing intense scrutiny despite a $1.5 billion overhaul to revamp its operations and restore public confidence. This skepticism is amplified by Nigerias history of failed attempts to revive its refineries. Between 2015 and 2019 alone, over $3 billion was reportedly spent on fixing the countrys four refineries such as Port Harcourt ($1.5bn); Warri ($897.6m) and Kaduna refinery ($586.9m) with little to show for it. News broke in Africas biggest economy that the oil arm of the refinery,…

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P’Harcourt Refinery: Heads must roll if Nigerians were deceived – Stakeholders insist

Aminu Imam
Stakeholders insist

The controversy surrounding the commencement of the processing of crude oil from the Port Harcourt Refining Company will not be abating anytime soon as stakeholders have told newsmen that heads must roll at the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, (NNPCL), if Nigerians were deceived about the production status of the complex. Recall that last Tuesday, Nigerias major oil company, the NNPCL, had told surprised Nigerians that it had fulfilled its pledge of re-streaming the Port Harcourt Refining Company. The NNPCL added that the action would signal the commencement of crude…

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P’Harcourt Refinery abruptly shuts down operations

Aminu Imam
P'Harcourt shuts down

Details emerge Barely three days after the resumption of activities at the Port Harcourt Refining Company, the refinery has abruptly shut down operations just days after a grand re-opening.  It was gathered that as of Friday, there was no activity on the site, with some workers claiming that the refinery was undergoing calibration, which might last till next week. A recent visit revealed an empty loading bay with no activities taking place, as workers indicated that the refinery was undergoing calibration expected to continue until next week. Despite Tuesday’s inauguration…

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P’Harcourt Refinery: CSO challenges NNPCL over alleged sale of blended fuel

Aminu Imam
CSO challenges NNPCL

A civil society organisation, CSO, Concerned Citizens of Nigeria, yesterday raised concerns over the announcement by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) that the Port-Harcourt Refinery has commenced operations. Recall that the NNPCL had on Tuesday announced that the refinery has commenced operations at 70% capacity. President Bola Tinubu, who congratulated the NNPCL on the achievement, also directed the company to revive the Warri and Kaduna refineries. However, at a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, the CSO voiced concerns over allegations that the refinery has been converted into a…

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