The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to complete the ongoing rehabilitation of the old Port Harcourt Refinery within 30 days.
This appeal comes on the heels of NNPCL’s announcement that the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) will undergo a maintenance shutdown starting May 24, 2025.
PETROAN’s National President, Billy Gillis-Harry, on Sunday, May 25, voiced concern over the ambitious timeline, noting that bureaucratic delays have historically stalled similar efforts.
He warned that extending the repairs could disrupt fuel distribution and worsen the economic strain faced by many Nigerians.
“The repairs must be completed before current fuel stocks run out. Any delay could open the door to monopolies and interrupt the steady supply of petroleum products,” he cautioned.
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To ensure transparency, the association recommended the creation of a task force led by the Honourable Minister of Petroleum and made up of members from the Petroleum Industry Stakeholders Forum.
According to PETROAN, the task force should oversee the repair process and provide the public with consistent updates.
The association further stressed the urgency of fixing the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) blending unit and called for swift payments to contractors handling the project, warning that slow disbursement of funds would only extend the refinery’s downtime.
PETROAN believes that completing the rehabilitation on schedule will boost competition in the petroleum market and ultimately benefit consumers and the economy at large.