The Port Harcourt Refinery, which was revamped and relaunched in November 2024, has achieved 180 days of continuous operation, according to the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria.
In a statement on Wednesday, PETROAN praised the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited for keeping the refinery running without interruption.
The group’s Publicity Secretary, Joseph Obele, commended Tecnimont Nigeria Limited for successfully handling the rehabilitation.
“The refinery, which was commissioned in October 2024, has been running continuously for 180 days, up to March 2025. This is a remarkable achievement that shows the effectiveness of the rehabilitation project,” Obele said.
He also thanked host communities for their cooperation, which helped ensure the smooth running of the facility.
PETROAN noted that its members are currently loading diesel and kerosene from the refinery, while NNPCL retail marketers are loading petrol.
The association said this has helped maintain a steady supply of petroleum products and reduced the circulation of fake kerosene and diesel in the market.
The refinery had been inactive for over 20 years before it was revamped with a loan from Afreximbank and rehabilitated by Tecnimont Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of the Maire Tecnimont Group.
PETROAN praised President Bola Tinubu for providing funds for the project, while also commending the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, for his supervision.
The group also acknowledged the NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, for his leadership, and the Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Refining Company, Ibrahim Onoja, for his dedication to ensuring smooth operations.
The association further applauded the Managing Director of NNPC Retail Ltd, Hubb Stockman, for ensuring effective product marketing, while also recognizing the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority for its oversight in ensuring safe and efficient refinery operations.
