The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority has disclosed that the Port Harcourt Refining Company, which has been shut down since May 24 2025, continues to supply 349,000 litres of diesel each day. Although the refinery is in shutdown mode, it is still evacuating diesel that was produced before the closure; no new production is taking place.
The shutdown, originally planned for one month, has now extended to seven months with no indication of a restart. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) announced the shutdown for maintenance, but the plant has yet to resume production. This is not the first prolonged interruption; the refinery was declared operational in November 2024 after years of inactivity, only to be closed again six months after its rehabilitation.
When operational, the Port Harcourt refinery was expected to produce significant volumes of diesel, petrol and other petroleum products, with a daily capacity of 1.5 million litres of diesel and 2.1 million litres of pour‑fuel oil. However, the new Group Chief Executive of NNPC, Bayo Ojulari, has stated that the refinery was running at a loss, estimating monthly deficits of $300‑500 million. He attributed these losses to the refinery’s inability to process more than 40 % of the crude oil it receives.
In response, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria has called for the privatisation of Nigeria’s state‑owned refineries, arguing that private investment would improve operational efficiency. NNPC has rejected calls for a sale, with Ojulari expressing confidence that the plants can be revamped and repositioned as sustainable, revenue‑generating assets. A technical and commercial review is underway as part of a broader plan to raise operational standards and meet Nigeria’s fuel demand.
The shutdown of the Port Harcourt Refining Company and the uncertainty surrounding its future have significant implications for Nigeria’s energy sector and its reliance on imported petroleum products.
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