The Port Harcourt Refinery has resumed operations following an extensive renovation and modernization project initiated in 2021 under a $1.5 billion rehabilitation contract secured by the Federal Government.
Petroleum products will begin leaving the facility on Tuesday, overseen by the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mallam Mele Kyari, who inspected the refinery on Monday night.
Situated in Alesa Eleme, Port Harcourt, the refinery complex consists of two units commissioned in 1965 and 1989, with a combined installed capacity of 210,000 barrels per day. The older unit processes 60,000 barrels per stream day, while the newer plant handles 150,000 barrels per day.
The refinery’s reopening is expected to significantly reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported petroleum products, easing foreign exchange demands linked to fuel importation. The facility will produce a range of products, including premium motor spirit (PMS), diesel, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).