The continued failure of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) to begin fuel production at the Port Harcourt Refinery in Rivers State has gone unnoticed. Despite multiple postponements over the past year, the refinery has yet to commence operations.
The NNPC has made various promises to Nigerians about the refinery’s operations, but these have not materialized. The Chief Financial Officer of the NNPC, Umar Ajiya, had stated the refinery would start production in September 2024, but no update has been provided as the month has now ended.
The contractor overseeing the refinery’s rehabilitation, Maire Tecnimont SpA, has indicated they will provide details on the project’s completion by or before October 2, 2024. However, the NNPC has not responded to inquiries about the refinery’s status.
Since December 2023, the NNPC has given Nigerians multiple different deadlines, assuring them the refinery would begin selling refined products soon, but these promises have not been kept. This has led to continued disappointment among Nigerians, who have expressed frustration over the country’s reliance on imported fuel and the high monthly expenditure of up to ₦2 trillion.
The refinery, which was acquired by the Nigerian government in a $1.5 billion loan for renovation, has also been a source of criticism, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar advocating for the sale of all government-owned refineries to private individuals.
Nigerians remain hopeful that the refinery will eventually begin operations, allowing the country to stop fuel importation and potentially see a decrease in petrol pump prices.
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