The Federal Government has announced that the Port Harcourt Refining and Petrochemical Company in Rivers State has resumed operations.
The facility started operations on Wednesday, December 20, 2023, following the successful completion of the plant's first phase of work.
Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), who led the Refinery Steering Committee to inspect the facility, commended the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and Nigerians for this achievement.
He clarified that the refinery would start distributing refined petroleum products after the Christmas break.
It's worth recalling that the government had consistently stated earlier in the year that the Port Harcourt refinery would resume operations before the end of 2023. Nigeria's refineries in Port Harcourt, Kaduna, and Warri have been inactive for years, with the Federal Government investing several billions of naira to rejuvenate the facilities.
Lokpobiri confirmed at the refinery, “The meeting today coincides with the commencement of operations at the Port Harcourt refinery.”
Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, added that the company's employees had worked tirelessly, clocking over 9.6 million man-hours, to bring the refinery back into operation.