The Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has revealed that petrol from the Port Harcourt refinery will sell for N1,030 per litre. This follows confirmation by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) that the refurbished refinery is operational.
PETROAN’s spokesman, Joseph Obele, disclosed in a Thursday night statement that NNPC Retail Ltd officially set the price for premium motor spirit (PMS) at the Port Harcourt refinery at N1,030 per litre.
“NNPC Retail Ltd has officially announced the PMS price at the Port Harcourt refinery as N1,030 per litre. It was also communicated to PETROAN that the product request portal was open for booking/request,” Obele said.
Obele added that PETROAN’s pricing team is currently analyzing how best to set prices for its members, emphasizing the association’s willingness to source products from any operational refinery in the country. He urged NNPC Retail to further reduce the price to ease the financial burden on Nigerians during the festive season.
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Refinery Operations Confirmed
Responding to claims that the refinery is not functioning, Obele assured Nigerians that the old Port Harcourt refinery is operational.
“We state emphatically that the old Port Harcourt refinery is functional and producing refined petroleum products at the moment,” he said, noting that it is currently operating at 70% of its capacity with plans to increase to 90%.
To address skepticism, Obele highlighted a recent visit by top NNPCL officials, including Group CEO Mele Kyari, along with stakeholders and journalists, who were given a tour of the facility.
“The functional plant in operation is the old refinery with a capacity of 60,000 barrels per day, while the new Port Harcourt refinery with a capacity of 200,000 barrels per day is still under rehabilitation,” he clarified.
Verification by Stakeholders and Senate Committee
Further validation came from a fact-finding visit by the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources, led by Senator Kawu Sumaila, which inspected the refinery on Thursday.
“The senate committee saw the plant functional and petroleum trucks loading at the Port Harcourt refinery depot,” Obele stated, adding that PETROAN leadership, including National President Dr. Billy Hary, welcomed the committee and expressed readiness to begin loading operations at the facility.
Obele also encouraged those doubting the refinery’s functionality to contact NNPC management for a tour rather than spreading misinformation.
Call for Privatisation and Infrastructure Repairs
PETROAN reiterated its support for the planned privatization of government-owned refineries.
“The plant should be handed over to a reputable private firm with the financial capability and technical knowledge,” Obele said.
However, he raised concerns about the deteriorating condition of the Eleme East-West Road, a critical route for transporting petroleum products from the refinery.
“The road poses a serious threat to petroleum trucks carrying flammable products. PETROAN urges the Federal Ministry of Works and RCC to expedite ongoing repairs,” he concluded.