“Come, let’s take you on tour of Port Harcourt Refinery,” NNPCL tells Obasanjo

Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria

Published By: Ayorinde Oluokun

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has has said as part of its commitment to transparency and accountability it is ready to take former President Olusegun Obasanjo on a tour of the newly rehabilitated Port Harcourt Refinery to confirm its operational status.

Such, a tour, the NNPCL said will give the former President the opportunity to confirm and appreciate the feat that was recorded in the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery under the current management of the company.

The Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPCL, Mr. Olufemi Soneye, made the offer to the former President on Thursday.

Soneye made the offer while reacting to the claim of Obasanjo in a television interview about rejection of his offer to Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to manage the Port Harcourt Refinery when he was in power.

The former President also said in the interview with Channels Television that his successor revoked his management contract he signed with group led by Dangote because NNPC was opposed to it. According to the former President, NNPCL has been lying to Nigerians that the Port Harcourt Refinery is now working.

However, while countering the claim of Obasanjo, NNPCL in the statement by Soneye intvited him for a tour of the rehabilitated refineries to witness firsthand the progress made under the new NNPC Limited, according to a report by The Nation newspapers.

The NNPC spokesperson added that unlike in the past, NNPCL did not only carry out a turnaround maintenance on the refinery, but a complete overhaul of the facility

“We invite our esteemed former president to join us in this effort as we continue to deliver energy security for our nation and provide tangible benefits to Nigerians.

“His wisdom and experience are invaluable, and we assure him that his advice will always be welcomed and appreciated,” he said.

“As part of this transformation, NNPC Limited has gone beyond oil and gas to become an integrated energy company.

He added that one of the achievements of NNPCL as an integrated oil company was the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PhRC) and Warri Refinery.

“This process was not merely the Turnaround Maintenance (TAM) of the past but a full-scale overhaul designed to meet world-class standards.

Similarly, we are currently conducting the same comprehensive rehabilitation of the old Port Harcourt Refinery and Kaduna Refinery.”

According to him, NNPCL has evolved from being a government corporation to a private entity with limited liability.

He added that NNPC Limited is committed to also to maintaining the refineries to the best global standards so that they can contribute significantly to Nigeria’s energy security.

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“We deeply respect and hold President Obasanjo in the highest regard as a distinguished statesman who has contributed significantly to the progress of our nation.

“He has every right to share his perspectives on national issues, and we value his insights and counsel.”

“We remain grateful for his leadership and enduring commitment to the growth and development of Nigeria.

“Together, we can continue to build a brighter future for our great nation.”

Recall that President Bola Tinubu had on 30 December, 2024 commended NNPC for returning the Warri Refinery to operation weeks after it restarted the 60,000 Barrels per day at the Port Harcourt Refinery in November.

“President Tinubu has once again expressed his administration’s determination to ramp up local refining capacity and make Nigeria a hub for downstream industrial activities in Africa,” he said.

Tinubu, in the statement by Bayo Onanuga, his spokesperson noted that with the 125,000 (bpd) Warri Refinery now operating at 60 per cent capacity, his administration’s comprehensive plan to ensure energy efficiency and security was on course.

He praised the Mele Kyari-led management of the NNPCL for working hard to restore Nigeria’s glory and pride as a major oil-producing country.

“The restart of Warri Refinery today brings joy and gladness to me and Nigerians. This will further strengthen the hope and confidence of Nigerians for a greater and better future that we promised.

“This development is a remarkable way to end the year following the feat recorded earlier with the old Port Harcourt Refinery.

“I am equally happy that NNPCL is implementing my directive to restore all four refineries to good working condition.

“I congratulate Mele Kyari and his team at NNPCL for working hard to restore our national pride and make Nigeria a hub for crude oil refining in Africa,” President Tinubu said.

He enjoined NNPCL to accelerate repair work on Kaduna Refinery and the 150,000 (bpd) second refinery in Port Harcourt to consolidate Nigeria’s position as a global energy provider.

“WRPC will focus on producing and storing critical products, including Straight Run Kerosene, Automotive Gas Oil, and heavy and light Naphtha,” he said.

(NAN)
SA/JNC