The Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has revealed that the Port Harcourt refinery will sell petrol at N1,030 per litre, asserting that the refinery is operational, as claimed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
In a statement released on Thursday night, PETROAN spokesman Joseph Obele said the NNPC informed the association that a litre of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) would sell for N1,030 at the refurbished refinery.
Obele stated, “NNPC Retail Ltd has officially announced the PMS price at the Port Harcourt refinery as N1,030 per litre. It was also communicated to PETROAN that the product request portal was open for booking/request.”
He further disclosed that PETROAN’s strategic pricing team is analysing the best price options for its members, adding, “We are open to patronising all the refineries in Nigeria.”
The association also called on NNPC Retail to further lower the price to ensure a more joyful festive season for Nigerians.
Meanwhile, the Dangote Refinery recently announced a N20 reduction in the price of its PMS, reducing it from N990 to N970 per litre.
Addressing claims that the Port Harcourt refinery was non-functional, Obele clarified, **“We state emphatically that the old Port Harcourt refinery is functional and producing refined petroleum products at the moment.
“On Tuesday, November 26, 2024, the top management of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, led by Mele Kyari, took stakeholders and journalists to the plant to provide first-hand information and allow them to see the operations. The old Port Harcourt refinery is currently operating at 70 per cent of its installed capacity, with plans to ramp up to 90 per cent.”
He added that this assertion counters rumours that the revamped refinery is merely a blending plant and unproductive.
**“As part of PETROAN’s oversight function as key stakeholders, we have direct access to the plant on the authorisation of management, and we encourage anyone doubting the functional status of the plant to contact NNPC management for a facility tour rather than spreading misleading information.
“It is important to clarify that the functional plant in operation is the old refinery with a capacity of 60,000 barrels per day, while the new Port Harcourt refinery, with a capacity of 200,000 barrels per day, is still under rehabilitation and is expected to commence production soon, as announced by NNPCL management. Both refineries are located within the same complex at Alesa Eleme in Rivers State,”** he explained.
Obele further noted that the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources, under the leadership of Senator Kawu Sumaila, alongside stakeholders and members of the host community, confirmed the refinery’s operations during a fact-finding visit to the site.
“The Senate committee saw the plant functional and petroleum trucks loading at the Port Harcourt refinery depot. It is worth noting that PETROAN’s national leadership, led by National President Dr Billy Hary, attended the Senate committee’s visit to welcome the committee and express PETROAN’s readiness to commence loading at the Port Harcourt refinery,” he added.
Obele also voiced PETROAN’s support for the proposed privatisation of the nation’s refineries, advocating for a credible and transparent process to hand over operations to a reputable private firm with the required financial and technical expertise.
He raised concerns about the state of the Eleme-East-West Road, describing it as a serious hazard to petroleum trucks transporting flammable products from the refinery.
“Most worrisome, as a threat to lives and properties, is the ugly condition of the Eleme East-West Road. PETROAN encourages the Federal Ministry of Works, under which the project was awarded to RCC, to expedite the ongoing repairs of the road,” he concluded.