NewStats: 3,263,699 , 8,181,074 topics. Date: Saturday, 07 June 2025 at 11:45 AM 605g4k

A second shutdown of the Port Harcourt Refinery within five months has sparked calls by many Nigerians, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and industry experts, for ability by those who superintend over the national oil facility.

A national daily had reported in December 2024 that the Port Harcourt Refining Company had stopped working less than a month after it resumed production. According to the report, the lifting of petrol actually stopped last Friday, December 13, with the 18-arm loading bay of the new Port Harcourt refinery empty when a reporter visited the facility.

LEADERSHIP recalls that barely a month earlier, precisely on Tuesday, November 26, 2024 the former chief executive officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, had inaugurated the 60,000 barrel per day production capacity plant with much public excitement.

Consequently, the latest shutdown of the Port Harcourt refinery for maintenance has raised many questions about the status of public refineries operated by the NNPCL.

Industry experts and legal scholars have raised questions about the transparency of the refineries’ operations.

Experts’ opinion, as understood by LEADERSHIP, shows a significant gap in oversight functions by industry regulators.

Taiwo Ogunloye, an energy expert and lawyer with technical knowledge of the industry told our Correspondent that the failure of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to provide a technical audit report on the status of the public refineries had led to anxieties about transparency in the management of the refineries.

Ogunloye said Section 32 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) empowered the agency to audit refineries and issue operator guidelines and standards.

He said that the regulator’s failure to intervene placed a significant burden on the NNPCL, as the public is not aware of the current status of those refineries.

He also expressed concern at the nondisclosure of the real reason for the shutdown of an asset that had gulped huge public funds.

“I think it’s proper for the NNPCL to make public the issues with the refineries and specifically indicate the areas affected so that people can forecast and assess the level of competence in the refineries’ management,” he added.

Spokesman of the Crude Oil Refinery Owners Association of Nigeria (CORAN), Eche Idoko, similarly decried the lack of transparency, saying the public is unaware of the refinery’s state.

Idoko called for a review of public funds channelled into rehabilitating the NNPCL refinery.

According to him, despite such government interventions, products from the company’s refineries are more expensive than those from the Dangote Refinery.

He said that CORAN had always advocated a level playing field for all operators and called on government to extend funds to other private refinery operators to create a balanced market structure.

For his part, Henry Adigun, a public affairs analyst and energy expert, said that the routine maintenance announced by the NNPCL should not be seen as unusual.

In the argument, Adigun said that the refinery has been down for an extended period and that it is expected that after the rehabilitation, the test run would identify potential problems, which would be resolved as they occur.

“We should realise that the plant is old and not newly built, and as such, technical hitches should be expected and rectified as they emerge,” he noted.

LEADERSHIP reports that the NNPCL announced the shutdown of the Port Harcourt refinery for maintenance starting May 24. According to the company’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Femi Shoneye, the refinery will undergo a maintenance shutdown. He said the exercise would take a month and that the company is working with relevant stakeholders to ensure efficiency and transparency.

“We 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,” he said.

Nigerians were jolted at the announcement of the refinery’s resumption late last year. The refinery, with 60,000 barrels per day capacity, operated at 70 per cent installed capacity. The restart marked a significant step toward reducing Nigeria’s reliance on imported refined petroleum products.

The refinery underwent a $1.5 billion rehabilitation project approved by the Nigerian government in 2021.

The refinery’s daily output includes 1.4 million litres of petrol, 1.5 million litres of diesel, 2.1 million litres of heavy fuel oil, 900,000 litres of kerosene, and unspecified volumes of LPG.

The restart is a significant step towards Nigeria’s energy independence and economic growth.

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Firm didn’t function – NLC

The assistant general secretary, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Chris Onyeka, said the NNPC cannot shut down what was not operational.

He said, “The government is taking Nigerians for granted; they are not sincere, and we believe they are deliberately sabotaging themselves. Or how can they tell us that the Port Harcourt refinery is working, coupled with that of Dangote, yet we are still importing, yet we are still talking of landing cost? How can Nigerians be paying high fuel costs if the PH Refinery is truly working? Does it mean Nigerians are consuming more fuel?

“We are just watching because we know what they are doing. It is just like telling us that the army has defeated Boko Haram, a number of them have been killed but they will not show the public the bodies of those killed.”

Onyeka recalled that government had said the PH was technically completed and operating.

“What is the meaning of technically completed? Shouldn’t the price of fuel, etc, drop drastically if truly the PH refinery is working along with that of Dangote?

“Let them keep fooling themselves; we are only waiting for the appropriate time to talk,” he said.


NNPCL must for turnaround maintenance money- CSOs

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called for the NNPCL to for the money spent on the turnaround of the Port Harcourt refinery.

Reacting to the controversy surrounding the shutdown of the Port Harcourt refinery, the head of Transparency International (TI), the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), and the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), Awwal Musa Rafsanjani, condemned the action and called for ability from the public officials and contractors who had worked on the facility’s repairs.

Rafsanjani, while attributing the whole issue to corruption, insisted that those involved in the earlier repairs of the refinery ed for the money made available to that effect.

He further said Nigerians must be told what happened and the money must be returned; any attempt not to return the funds will be tantamount to a waste of time and dubious reforms, even if the new management of NNPCL intends to carry it out.

“What Nigeria is facing today is the collapse of responsible governance and patriotism by public officials. Everything is about the acquisition of public funds. It’s not about service. Otherwise, you can’t understand why, since the regime of Obasanjo, we have been spending money in the name of turnaround maintenance on these refineries that appear to be completely dormant.

“Port Harcourt, Warri, Kaduna…we keep spending money on maintenance. Billions have been spent without any commensurate repairs or upgrades to these facilities. That is to tell you that public officials are only interested in siphoning taxpayers’ money; they are not interested in service delivery.

He noted that the absence of ability and responsible governance in the country has continued to hamper progress in of economic development, especially the oil and gas sector.

“Now that they close down this refinery, it is just to tell you how shameful or insincere and how corruption has taken the centre stage in our country.

“We condemn this act; after spending huge public taxpayers’ money, you close it down, so could you explain to Nigerians what happened to the money spent on the refinery? Was it that the money was not properly utilised, or what happened, and where’s the money? Are they going to refund the money because of the poor treatment that was done? There must be an explanation for Nigerians.

“So, the contractors and the public officials who worked on these refinery repairs must for this money. They must tell Nigerians what happened, and they must return the money.’’

According to him, if the new GCEO (of NNPC) does not pursue the money, then any reforms he brings are a waste of time and dubious.

“We need to get this explanation and money returned. We can’t allow people to be siphoning billions in the name of turnaround maintenance, and nothing is repaired,” Rafsanjani added.

https://leadership.ng/2-shutdowns-of-port-harcourt-refinery-in-5-months-raise-questions/

That refinery isn't functioning to even a quarter of its capacity while online what now makes you think our economy will suffer it's downtime today as it's offline?

Lies, deceit, deception, falsehood and propaganda are the notorious traits of all appointees of government under this Tinubu's regime.

When kerosene is exhausted in a 🏮 lantern (please educate me) are you the one that'll shut it down 👇 or the other way round?

Forget all the 4 refineries,they are all dead and buried by NNPC and government,they will only continue to use them to steal and loot,they don't have the liver and capacity to fix them
The solution is to sell them outright to a private company
It's a cash cow and opportunity to loot by those in power

The refinery is working and this is a media trial by enemies of the country

More questions indeed. No output.

Abeokuta steel complex.., Turn around maintainance of the refineries, and highway contracts are the biggest conduit pipes for siphoning government funds in this country.. If these projects are done nicely and finished smoothly, there won't be any room/oppurtuinists for such gigantic heist by some thoroughly corrupt government officials..

Folks should solemnly get used to this fact: Those in power are not there to better your lives. That has never been their main objectives in power. Sadly, they are there to loot for their group in a "turn by turn" looting expedition orchestrated by some machavelian politicians in the APC.. The earlier we come around to accept this troubling reality, the better we stand a chance to solve it..

Who doesn’t know it’s a conduit for siphoning money? Any idiot knows that.
Only deluded fools will not know that both the Apc, pdp, LP, SDP etc know what’s going on but still choose to the Apc as if it changes anything.
We know they are all the same bunch of corrupt idiots running the country and they are united in different political parties. Elections are just a battle for resource control and arms control via the armed forces.

But you see people like helinues and the likes who somehow do not appear on threads like these? They seem like the smartest as they are paid for their while others pretend to these parties and politicians because they sincerely believe they will deliver. The reality is that their is based on tribe and/or religion as is evident here on nairaland.

Nigeria can’t be good with these generation of rogues in power.

If an APC er greets you good morning,look at the clock,they lie for a living!

Nothing is working right in Nigeria.

Continue trusting Tinubu and see where you will land.

You are trusting an international confirmed drug Lord?



🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

that Bayo Onanuga visited this refinery to "prove" to Nigerians that it was working some months ago.

When we said it was a lie, they said we were haters of Nigeria and we don't like good news.

Their lies are getting exposed day by day

Just like their rubbish coastal high way project that is intended to serve Tinubu pocket

The propagandist in chief of the Tinubu istration and their zombies will try to gaslight you.

If you allow them deceive you, then you are a fool

Phantom project meant to siphon public funds and be converted to personal use.Nigerian Refineries should be put on sale, enough of this endless deceit.

Bowwow11:
Nothing is working right in Nigeria.

All the refineries are working. This news is sponsored by ipob and obi to undermine the good work that tinubu is doing

Day light robbery

JAWBONE:
that Bayo Onanuga visited this refinery to "prove" to Nigerians that it was working some months ago.

When we said it was a lie, they said we were haters of Nigeria and we don't like good news.

Their lies are getting exposed day by day

Just like their rubbish coastal high way project that is intended to serve Tinubu pocket

The propagandist in chief of the Tinubu istration and their zombies will try to gaslight you.

If you allow them deceive you, then you are a fool

What did obi achieve in anambra?

Why is Mele Kyari still walking free?

If we don't adopt the China method, we will not make progress. You can't do this in China and still be living.

APC, Tinubu and Buhari are evil...

Believe their is functional refinery in Port Harcourt, that means my mum is a virgin.

But you guys said it never worked. Why are you complaining about shutdowns?

God Bless Federal Republic of Nigeria

I made a post about NNPC all the time shifting the post

lionshare:
What caused subsidy? How exactly can one remove corruption in subsidy prior to removing subsidy? Pls be logical

Good question. The current President wrote what he said should be done.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJp4HxZ2p-g

Read it here

The exact thing Tinubu said when Jonathan removed fuel subsidy in 2012 by Toks2008(m): 6:49pm On Jun 04, 2023
https://nairaland.moviesx.org/7714901/exact-thing-tinubu-said-when

Now Obi is doing the same thing as opposition. If he won the Presidency and changed mouth, we will remind him of what he said before he got there.

But the ACN national leader cautioned the president against being captive to economic orthodoxy and its local purveyors, who always look at the Nigerian economy as nothing until when tied to the apron strings of the conservative orthodoxy.
“Because he is slave to wrong-headed economics,” Asiwaju Tinubu said of President Goodluck Jonathan, “the people will become enslaved to greater misery. This crisis will bear his name and will be his legacy. The people now pay a steep tax for voting him into office. The removal of the subsidy is the ‘Jonathan tax’,” he insisted. “The situation shows that ideas count more than personalities. People may occupy office but how that person performs depends on the ideas that occupy his mind.”
Insisting that the subsidy removal was ill-timed, he said there must be some conditions precedent before such a step could be taken.
“First government needs to clean up and throw away the salad of corruption in the NNPC [Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation].

His party knew that what PDP was doing was on the right path but for politics, they were ready to go against the government because it would have affected their chances of winning an election


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFqadtGRQgw


Now to answer your question directly. Nigeria has refineries but it refused to use them and they keep doing TAM, all the Ministers of Petroleum under Buhari promised to get the refinery working, they gave us different dates, it never worked.
Ibe Kachikwu first promised to resign if local refineries don't work

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNeDWcLyfiY?si=bns20XOWE_g5PQ-3

And then they kept promising when it was going to work. NNPC promised us that the local refineries will work before 2023 and then we discovered that Dangote, a private company will be rescuing Nigeria. So Buhari made sure he commissioned it before he left because Dangote did not want a repeat of what happened under Yar DUA in 2007.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU1G-k127bg?si=CxK7vbnDB5p4eX


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3KSUf4JELg?si=qxcQEJO2E4KUdJGz


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEU5xTLfPWU?si=TRcT8zIhetEQAQJQ

https://www.youtube.com/live/2AH6KDmmjyI?si=fwRNQwuc1Mj6TBwC


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBfmNmmCaKs?si=pWSrXwtnxBg0lQnk

The government did not hold anyone responsible for its failure, no one was punished and corruption kept running. The state refineries aren't working.

Now let's go back to subsidy. Let's agree that Nigeria cannot meet its local demand due to corruption. Then the government granted some marketers license to import the product then it found out that these people were inflating prices, they were not importing what they said they would do, they cut corners and some of the importers are just on the list to collect government money, what do you do as a government? Say we will close this program because we cannot punish those who are taking advantage of the system?

Sir, the government can tackle both if they want to. The corruption they allow makes it look like the problem is bigger than it is. Some analysts said Obi would not have the balls to deal with the cabal like Asiwaju has, please tell me, is he afraid to call their bluff? Are the refineries still working? Is he scared of them? Isn't he the same person who can remove a democratically elected governor but all of a sudden, will be scared of a so called cabal? They should tell that to the marines. Government is complicit in the issue. People can now see that subsidy itself was not entirely bad because it was a social contract. What was wrong was to cancel subsidy without appropriate replacement. We don't have local refineries producing and we still prefer to import. The corruption showed its hand when Dangote started refining. We didn't punish those who take our oil outside Nigeria to sell, we didn't punish those selling our unrefined crude and security personnel that could be complicit, it's ordinary Nigerians we said must be punished for the sin of a few. Nigeria we hail thee.

Just sell these scraps to iron condemn. Obj almost 20 years ago solved the refineries problem by selling them to private owners.

If You Put The FG  In Charge Of The Sahara Desert, In 5 Years There'd Be A Shortage Of Sand[b][/b]

lexy2014:


What did obi achieve in anambra?

Wetin concern Obi here.....This people sef, very denigrating

lexy2014:


What did obi achieve in anambra?

Absolutely nothing. He was a failure if you ask me. Now address the lies he talked about. Tell us how Bayo Onanuga openly said these refineries are working and after 1.5bn$ they have been shut down for maintenance. Would you address that or you are ok with tribal even though you are not getting anything from it?

More billions of dollars for another Turn around maintenance

Bowwow11:
Nothing is working right in Nigeria.

Is your heart not work?
Are eyes not seeing?
Are your legs not working?