Port Harcourt Refinery Supplies Diesel Despite 7-Month Shutdown

The Port Harcourt Refinery has been supplying diesel to fuel marketers despite being shut down for maintenance since May 24, 2025.

The refinery has supplied about 15 trucks of diesel daily, translating to around 3,150 trucks in the past seven months. According to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the refinery is still evacuating 349,000 litres of automotive gas oil (diesel) daily, produced before the shutdown.

The Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has expressed concerns that the refinery’s diesel stock may run out by February 2026, urging the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) to reopen the facility before then.

The NNPC had initially announced a one-month shutdown for maintenance, but it’s been over seven months, and production has not resumed.

The refinery was declared operational in November 2024, with a capacity of 60,000 barrels per day, but was shut down again due to operational losses, estimated at $300m-$500m monthly.

The NNPC is reviewing options to make the refinery sustainable, while PETROAN advocates for privatization of Nigeria’s state-owned refineries to improve efficiency.

SOURCE: The PUNCH