The Port Harcourt Refinery has officially resumed operations after several delays, now producing approximately 200 trucks of fuel daily. On Tuesday, the plant released around one million liters of refined products, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s fuel production. This development follows a major overhaul of the old facility, which now operates at 70% of its refining capacity, up from its original 60,000 barrels per day.

According to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the refurbished refinery is now capable of producing refined petroleum products, with plans to ramp up operations further. NNPCL’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, highlighted that while the Port Harcourt plant is operational, the larger Eleme refinery with a capacity of 150,000 barrels per day remains inactive, pending completion.

The government has stressed the importance of expanding domestic fuel production, with the Warri and Kaduna refineries also set to come online. However, Kyari refrained from offering timelines for these plants, adhering to directives from President Bola Tinubu after multiple setbacks.

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At the unveiling event, NNPC officials demonstrated the refinery’s capabilities, including the loading of 200 trucks with products such as petrol, diesel, and kerosene. The refinery’s output is expected to enhance fuel availability nationwide and foster competition within the downstream sector, leading to potentially lower prices.

Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), expressed optimism, stating that with both the Dangote refinery and Port Harcourt now operational, Nigeria would soon transition from being a net importer to a net exporter of petroleum products.

Despite these advancements, some industry insiders have raised concerns about the refinery’s current ability to produce petrol, claiming that the necessary catalytic platform unit is not yet operational. NNPCL has since clarified that while the refinery is primarily focused on producing diesel and low-pour fuel oil, plans are underway to reach 90% capacity.

Petroleum marketers have welcomed the development, citing the competition between refineries as a positive for the market. The Publicity Secretary of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Joseph Obele, commended the NNPC for its efforts, emphasizing the promise of job creation and economic growth.

The Port Harcourt refinery joins the Dangote refinery as one of the few refineries producing petrol in Nigeria, although direct product lifting from the Dangote plant has not yet been made available to marketers. This increased production capacity is expected to help alleviate the strain on local fuel supply and reduce reliance on imports.