Oil marketers have expressed worries over what they described as the “slow pace” of repair activities at the Old Port Harcourt Refinery, which was shut down on May 24, 2025, for a 30-day scheduled repair.

An update at the facility was revealed in a statement signed by the Zonal Chairman of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) System 2E (Eastern Zone), Sunny Nkpe, on Monday, following a visit to the facility by the PETROAN Zonal Chairman.

Nkpe alleged that the current Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Engr Bashir Ojulari, had yet to visit the facility since assuming office four months ago.

He told newsmen during a press briefing at Port Harcourt International Airport, while travelling to Abuja, to notify other stakeholders and mobilise them on the next line of action as agreed in the stakeholders’ forum.

“The contractors lamented that they are owed for over 12 months without funding. All was set for the Old Port Harcourt Refinery to commence production as the necessary repairs scheduled for the cracking and blending plant of Unit 12 and Unit 14 of the old refinery were almost completed before the new Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC gave no commitment and showed lack of interest, which signals support to give a competitive advantage to private refineries to gain monopoly and exploit Nigerians with outrageous prices for petroleum products,” the statement read in part.

The consultation, he said, will include all stakeholders negatively impacted by the dormant state of the refinery, including the Industrial Motor Branch (IMB) of NUPENG, Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) of NUPENG, the National President of PETROAN, the National President of IPMAN, the National President of NUGASAN, Sutakep, and others.

“Thousands of tanker drivers are out of job, including staff of PETROAN and IPMAN, and it is imperative that we agree on legitimate options to call for the revival of the Port Harcourt Refinery,” he noted, emphasising that the commencement of production at the refinery will stabilise the price of petroleum products and reduce the dominance of private refineries.

“The Port Harcourt refinery is key to the supply chain distribution of petroleum products all over Nigeria, supplying to major cities like Aba, Enugu, Makurdi, and other key states.”

The Zonal Chairman called on the GCEO of NNPCL to give the Port Harcourt refinery top priority attention.

He also called on President Bola Tinubu to direct immediate action to revive the Port Harcourt Refinery, as such unnecessary delays seemed “orchestrated and appear to be coming from vested interests who intend to sabotage the vision of Mr. President.”

Nkpe highlighted the impact of the seven months the refinery operated, saying that economic activities regained their boom.

“Petty traders within the host communities celebrated, and jobs were also created. Above all, the prices of petroleum products were stable and on average, hence competition was at its peak.”

Nkpe said he was excited when Ojulari was appointed as the new GCEO of NNPC, describing him as a technocrat coming from Shell Oil Plc, which has an international reputation.

He, however, said he was shocked by his “inability to show capacity” in reviving the old Port Harcourt refinery, which was supposed to be fixed within 30 days since May 24th, 2025.

Asked if the next level of action by stakeholders included shutting down the distribution network or support the alleged current call for the sack of Ojulri by civil society organisations, Nkpe responded by saying “he would wait for the holistic decision of stakeholders before further comments, even though stakeholders are ready to support the reform agenda of President Tinubu and will not sit to see any person or group of people frustrating the efforts of Mr. President in making the refinery functional.” (Channels TV)

•Port Harcourt Refinery