The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to bring the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) Ltd back into operation by December. The move aligns with the government's larger goal of reducing petroleum product imports and restoring local refining capacity. During an inspection tour of the PHRC rehabilitation progress, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, expressed confidence in the refinery's revival. He stated that the Port Harcourt Refinery would be operational by the end of the year, while the Warri Refinery is expected to come online by the end of the first quarter of the following year. Kaduna Refinery is projected to follow suit by the end of that year.
Lokpobiri emphasized the importance of these efforts in ending fuel importation, enhancing petroleum product supply, and boosting the economy through domesticated foreign exchange. The Minister's assurances echoed President Bola Tinubu's recent promise that the Port Harcourt Refinery would be operational by December. Mele Kyari, the Group CEO of NNPC Ltd., also echoed the national aspiration to restore refineries to optimal levels and become a net exporter of petroleum products by 2024. The visit also included participation in the Refineries’ Rehabilitation Steering Committee meeting and discussions with the refinery’s Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) Contractors.
