Less than a month after resuming operations amid great fanfare, the Port Harcourt Refinery has once again ceased production, leaving tankers idle and sparking concerns over the effectiveness of its $1.5 billion rehabilitation project.
A visit to the refinery on Thursday, December 19, revealed an eerily quiet scene, with the usually bustling 18-arm loading bay completely empty. Tanker drivers were spotted lounging in their trucks, awaiting news on when operations might resume. One driver, speaking in Hausa, expressed doubts about claims that loading would recommence on Monday. “Three days; they said they would load on Monday,” he muttered skeptically.
High Hopes Dashed
The refinery, which has a 60,000-barrel-per-day capacity, was inaugurated on November 26, 2024, by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) CEO Mele Kyari. The reopening was celebrated with much excitement, with claims that up to 200 trucks of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) were lifted that day. However, eyewitness accounts suggested only a handful of trucks were loaded, allegedly with old stock rather than newly refined products.
“Since Mele Kyari left, no real production has taken place,” lamented petroleum product marketer Dappa Jubobaraye. “It was all a show to deceive Nigerians into thinking the refinery is operational.”
Jubobaraye further alleged that only three of the 18 loading arms at the facility are functional, and even those have leakages. “They managed to load a few trucks just to create an impression of activity, but the reality is that the refinery is not working,” he said.
Brief Resumption, Then Silence
After an initial halt in operations earlier this month, tanker drivers reported some activity a fortnight ago, with around 11 trucks being loaded on one occasion. The refinery’s Managing Director, Ibrahim Onoja, had confidently stated at the time, “The plant is running, and we are trucking out our products. We’ve done a massive upgrade, replacing pumps, instrumentation, and cables.”
However, operations came to another standstill just a week later, with drivers left in the dark about the reasons behind the suspension. “It was Friday last week they loaded last, about 15 trucks,” one driver shared. “Since then, nothing has moved, and nobody is telling us anything.”
Stakeholders Raise Concerns
Jubobaraye criticized the NNPCL for failing to fix prices, preventing independent marketers from purchasing and distributing products. He noted that only NNPCL’s mega stations were receiving supplies. “How can you expect tanker drivers to wait for two weeks without loading? This is a clear sign that the refinery is not ready for full operations,” he argued.
Adding to the frustration, Jubobaraye highlighted the unavailability of kerosene and diesel, which are essential for ordinary Nigerians. “They haven’t started loading kerosene or diesel. Right now, they’re only using three loading arms for PMS, which is unacceptable,” he said.
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Calls for Transparency and Action
The halt in operations has drawn criticism from stakeholders and industry observers, who are demanding transparency about the state of the refinery. Many question how a facility that underwent such an expensive rehabilitation could fail so quickly.
“It’s time for the government and NNPCL to take responsibility and provide clear answers,” Jubobaraye urged. “Nigerians deserve to know why the refinery is not delivering on its promise to ease the burden of fuel importation.”
For now, the Port Harcourt Refinery remains a symbol of unfulfilled expectations, with its empty loading bay serving as a stark reminder of the challenges facing Nigeria’s oil industry. Whether the facility will overcome its current hurdles and deliver on its potential remains to be seen.