The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr. Mele Kyari, informed the Senate that the Port Harcourt refinery will begin to deliver refined petroleum products in two weeks. This statement was made during a briefing with journalists after a meeting with the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Turnaround Maintenance of the country’s four refineries, led by Senator Ifeanyi Ubah. Kyari reassured Nigerians of the timely completion of the refinery rehabilitations, mentioning that the Warri refinery is almost ready, and the Kaduna refinery is expected to be completed and operational by December this year.
Kyari further explained that the Port Harcourt refinery had completed its rehabilitation work, undergoing a “completion mechanical” procedure, which signifies the end of rehabilitation and the beginning of testing phases. Similarly, the mechanical works on the Warri refinery have been completed, and it is currently undergoing regulatory compliance processes. For the Kaduna refinery, the expectation is set for a December readiness, with assurances given regarding the availability and integrity of the pipelines to deliver crude to these refineries.
During the briefing, issues of security in the oil-rich region were raised, emphasizing the importance of addressing security challenges to ensure the uninterrupted operation of the refineries post-rehabilitation. The Senate adhoc committee, with members expressing their intentions to visit all refineries to ascertain the progress of work, aims to present a comprehensive report to the Senate plenary, reassuring that there has been no indication of fraudulent practices in the turnaround maintenance exercise.
