The optimism that accompanied the resumption of activities at the Port Harcourt Refinery earlier this week has given way to doubts and frustration as operations appear stalled.
A visit to the refinery revealed minimal activity, with workers attributing the lull to ongoing calibration, which they claimed could extend into the following week.
The refinery, which has been plagued by years of delays and unmet deadlines, was inaugurated on Tuesday by Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). During the event, Kyari announced that 200 petrol trucks were being loaded daily at the refinery’s Area 5 terminal.
However, insiders and eyewitnesses have cast doubt on the claims, suggesting the trucks were loaded with old stock left in the facility’s storage tanks since operations halted in 2015/2016.
A source within the refinery explained that these “dead stocks” included remnants of petrol, diesel, and kerosene that had been stored during the rehabilitation process. The petrol, however, was described as “off-spec,” requiring further treatment before being deemed commercially viable.
The source also revealed that most of the pumps used during the inauguration were refurbished rather than upgraded to match modern standards, raising concerns about the refinery’s operational efficiency.
During the refinery’s commissioning, only seven trucks were reportedly prepared for loading, with just five successfully filled with petrol. Despite assurances that more trucks would load in the following days, the number of vehicles has decreased. By Friday afternoon, the loading bays were deserted, with idle workers and only nine parked trucks visible.
Some workers attributed the delay to calibration efforts, stating that meters were being adjusted and that de-watering—removing water from the stored petrol—was in progress. Another source hinted that the quantity of remaining petrol in the storage tanks might not even suffice to fill five trucks.
Locals and stakeholders have voiced skepticism about the refinery’s operational status. A resident of Alode in Eleme Local Government Area remarked, “After the ceremony with Mele Kyari, what happened? They continued loading on the pages of newspapers and social media.”
Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Petroleum visited the refinery on Thursday for a facility tour, though the details of their findings remain undisclosed. Attempts to contact NNPCL spokesperson Olufemi Soneye for comments were unsuccessful.
In response to allegations that the refinery was not operational, the NNPCL issued a statement dismissing the claims as misinformation. Soneye explained that the old and new Port Harcourt refineries share integrated utilities and storage facilities, enabling the loading of products from either refinery. He urged the public to disregard what he described as “blatant ignorance and mischief.”
Despite these assurances, concerns remain about the refinery’s ability to deliver on its promises of improving fuel supply, with many Nigerians still waiting for tangible results.
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