President Bola Tinubu recently praised the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited for successfully reviving the Port Harcourt Refinery. Tinubu also encouraged NNPC Limited to quickly reactivate the second Port Harcourt refinery, as well as the Warri and Kaduna refineries. The commendation and directives were conveyed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. The president acknowledged the vital role played by former President Muhammadu Buhari in initiating the comprehensive rehabilitation of all refineries and expressed gratitude to the African Export-Import Bank for funding the project. Tinubu also commended the leadership of NNPC Limited’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mele Kyari, for his dedication and commitment to overcoming challenges. The Port Harcourt refinery, situated in Rivers State, comprises the Old Refinery and the New Refinery, with a combined capacity of 210,000 barrels per day. Despite challenges such as poor maintenance, lack of investment, and corruption, efforts to rehabilitate the refinery began under the Buhari administration. The project, financed primarily through the African Export-Import Bank, aimed to restore full capacity by 2023. Although mechanical work was completed in early 2024, commissioning faced delays due to unexpected operational risks. The refinery is set to start trucking out products into the local market from November 26, 2024. Tinubu believes these efforts will significantly boost domestic production capacity and position Nigeria as a major energy hub. He emphasized the government’s commitment to repairing the nation’s refineries to eliminate the perception of Nigeria as a crude oil producer that lacks refining capabilities. Tinubu stressed the importance of patience, integrity, and accountability in infrastructure rebuilding and called on individuals and institutions to maintain focus and trust in their service to the nation. The Presidency reaffirmed its dedication to achieving energy sufficiency, enhancing security, and boosting export capacity for Nigeria as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
[UPDATED] P’Harcourt refinery: Tinubu demands reactivation of Warri, Kaduna plants
