Port Harcourt Refinery Rehabilitation Hits 90% Completion

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has announced significant progress in the rehabilitation of the 150,000 barrels-per-day (bpd) plant at the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), revealing that the project has surpassed 90% completion.

This update was disclosed on Monday by the Group Executive Vice President, Downstream, Isiyaku Abdullahi, during a visit by leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress to the facility in Rivers State.

The development follows the recent commissioning of the old 60,000bpd plant at the same refinery, which began operations on November 26, 2024, after years of delays.

This achievement signals a renewed push toward energy sufficiency and positions Nigeria closer to becoming a net exporter of refined petroleum products.

The Port Harcourt refinery has already resumed exporting refined products, with its first shipment of low-sulfur straight-run fuel oil sold to Dubai-based Gulf Transport and Trading Limited.

While current supply is restricted to NNPCL’s retail stations, the anticipated completion of the new plant is expected to significantly enhance Nigeria’s domestic fuel supply and export capacity.

Abdullahi, speaking after a tour of the facility, emphasized the commitment to delivering value for money and ensuring the rehabilitation meets international standards.

He highlighted the advanced stage of the project but refrained from providing a specific date for the plant’s operational commencement.

“This asset is under rehabilitation or an upgrade. There is an established process so that when the rehabilitation is completed, it will start running and it’s a state-of-the-art facility comparable to any refinery in the world,” Abdullahi explained.

He added: “From the contractors’ view, the refinery is over 90% completed. Once finished, it will allow us to combine the 60,000bpd and 150,000bpd facilities, making a total of 210,000 barrels, which will bolster our refining capabilities and enable exports.”

The Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Refinery, Ibrahim Onoja, provided further insights during the inspection, detailing the simultaneous rehabilitation of both the old and new plants.

Onoja underscored the strategic importance of the expanded capacity, stating that the new refinery, commissioned in 1989, is poised to significantly boost Nigeria’s refining infrastructure.