Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, has announced that the Port Harcourt Refinery is currently operating at 70% of its installed capacity, with plans to increase production in the near future.
Addressing claims that the refinery lacks crude oil for processing, Onanuga clarified that the facility receives regular crude supplies. He made these remarks following a fact-finding visit to the 60,000-barrels-per-day refinery on Wednesday.
According to Onanuga, the fact-finding team, led by the refinery’s Managing Director, Ibrahim Onoja, conducted a thorough tour of the complex, including its computerized control room, loading bay, and other sections. He stated, “We asked pointed questions and received satisfactory answers, dispelling our doubts and misconceptions about the refinery’s operations.”
Onanuga emphasized that Nigerians should disregard misinformation about the refinery, which, although not operating at full capacity, is making significant progress. “The facility is functioning at 70% installed capacity, with plans to scale up production soon,” he said.
He praised the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) for revitalizing the refinery, which he described as a “dead asset on the verge of becoming a museum piece.”
The NNPCL had earlier announced in November that the Port Harcourt Refinery commenced operations at 60% capacity. According to the company’s spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, the refinery is currently processing 60,000 barrels per day of crude oil. The facility has a combined capacity of 250,000 barrels per day.
Onanuga’s statement, titled “Putting to Rest Rumours about Port Harcourt Refinery Complex: Our Fact-Finding Mission,” sought to assure Nigerians of the refinery’s ongoing efforts to increase production and contribute significantly to the nation’s energy needs.
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