Despite assurances that maintenance would last only 30 days, operations at the facility remain suspended, with no official communication from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The shutdown of the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) has entered its second month, raising fresh concerns over Nigeria’s troubled refinery rehabilitation programme.
Despite assurances that maintenance would last only 30 days, operations at the facility remain suspended, with no official communication from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The refinery was declared operational in November 2024 by the then Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, after years of inactivity.
The company announced it was operating at 70 percent of its 60,000 barrels-per-day capacity, producing diesel, pour fuel oil, kerosene, and premium motor spirit (PMS).
However, in May 2025, NNPCL shut down the facility for “routine maintenance.” Over a month later, the plant remains idle, with petroleum marketers confirming that repair works are still ongoing.
The development comes amid rising scrutiny over the refinery’s $1.5 billion turnaround maintenance cost, which is now under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The development has sparked concerns among fuel retailers about potential fuel shortages and price hikes.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) had officially announced the shutdown of the Port Harcourt Refinery in Rivers State, citing a month-long maintenance exercise.
According to the NNPCL, the shutdown is part of a planned maintenance schedule aimed at ensuring the refinery’s optimal performance.
In a statement, the NNPCL confirmed that the facility would be shut down for a month for maintenance activities.
According to the NNPCL’s former Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, the shutdown commenced on Saturday, May 24.
“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 had added that the company was working with relevant stakeholders to ensure efficiency and transparency during the exercise.
“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.”
However, fuel retailers in the Eleme and Okrika communities, where the refinery is located, have expressed concerns about the impact of the shutdown on fuel supply.
“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.”
The shutdown of the Port Harcourt refinery comes amid allegations of corruption and mismanagement of funds earmarked for the rehabilitation of the refinery.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was investigating the sacked managing directors of the Port Harcourt Refining Company, Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, and Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company over alleged mismanagement of funds amounting to $2,956,872,622.36.
The EFCC probe revealed that N80 billion was found in the account of one of the sacked MDs, sparking further questions about the transparency and accountability of the NNPCL.
SaharaReporters also reported that the investigation implicated the immediate past Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, and 13 other former senior executives.
“We are not surprised by the shutdown of the refinery,” said a source close to the EFCC investigation.
“The lack of transparency and accountability in the management of the refineries has been a recurring issue. We hope that the investigation will shed more light on the matter.”
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