At Last, Port Harcourt Refinery Resumes  Operation, First Petrol Lifting Starts Today 

Peter Uzoho

After years of shutdown and rehabilitation, the Port Harcourt Refinery has finally resumed production of petroleum products, with the first batch of lifting of petrol expected to commence today (Tuesday), THISDAY has learnt. 

The rehabilitation of the refinery has ongoing since 2021, following the $1.5 billion contract approved by the Federal Government for the purpose.

THISDAY gathered that the first batch of trucks of petrol will be lifted from the facility on Tuesday under the supervision of the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari, who reportedly toured the facility Monday night.

Located at Alesa Eleme in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the refinery complex comprises two operational units established in 1965 and 1989 and with a combined installed capacity of 210,000 barrels per day.

The older plant has a capacity of 60,000 barrels per stream day, while the newer plant has 150,000 barrels per day capacity.

The refinery’s resumption is expected to further reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products and reduce foreign exchange pressures associated with fuel importation.

The facility is also expected to produce Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol, diesel and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), among others.