Tension has erupted around the Port Harcourt Refinery as retailers and host community stakeholders protest a looming one-month shutdown of the plant for what the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) described as a “scheduled maintenance.”
Retailers in Eleme and Okrika, where the refinery is located, claim that operations had already been halted on Thursday night. They accused the refinery coordinator, Engineer Bayo Adenrele, of sabotaging the government-owned plant to promote private interests—allegedly in favour of a competing private refinery.
In a statement jointly signed by several leaders under the Host Community Petroleum Bulk Retailers, including Sunny Nkpe, Emmanuel Inimgba, and Dr. Joseph Obele, the group alleged that the shutdown is an orchestrated move to cripple the refinery and force market dependence on a private operator. They further warned that the action could lead to increased fuel prices and deepen Nigeria’s economic woes.
“The shutdown is not only unjustified, but also a betrayal of the host communities. This refinery was recently rehabilitated to alleviate fuel scarcity, and now it is being deliberately undermined,” the statement said.
The group is demanding the immediate removal of the coordinator and the appointment of a substantive Managing Director to bring stability and ensure continued rehabilitation. They also called on Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, and the NNPC Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, to intervene urgently.
Responding to the uproar, NNPC’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, dismissed claims of sabotage. He confirmed that the refinery would undergo a critical safety maintenance expected to last about 30 days, and assured that there would be no disruption in fuel supply.
“This maintenance is part of best global practices to ensure the safety and efficiency of our operations. We have sufficient stockpiles of diesel, kerosene, and other products to cover the period,” Soneye stated.
Despite earlier claims by the NNPC that the refinery was operating at 70% capacity, recent reports from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority suggest that the facility is still functioning below 40%.
Meanwhile, the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) recently stated that NNPC’s refineries in Port Harcourt and Warri are not yet producing petrol optimally. The plants are reportedly yielding mostly naphtha and other by-products, forcing marketers to rely on the Dangote refinery or import petrol.
