President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has confirmed that the Port Harcourt Refinery is functional and operating at 70% capacity following a fact-finding mission to the facility on Wednesday. This visit comes amid public skepticism about the refinery’s operational status after it officially resumed production on November 26, 2024, following years of inactivity.
Onanuga, accompanied by a delegation, toured the 60,000-barrels-per-day refinery under the guidance of its Managing Director, Ibrahim Onoja. During the visit, the team inspected key areas of the facility, including the computerized control room and the product loading bay. They also tested petroleum products such as kerosene, diesel, gasoline, LPG, and low-pour fuel oil, confirming active production.
In a statement shared on Thursday, Onanuga expressed satisfaction with the refinery’s progress, describing it as a “modern, state-of-the-art facility” after extensive upgrades and replacements of old parts, including 300 kilometers of new pipelines.
He dismissed rumors that the refinery lacked crude supplies or was non-operational, emphasizing that it receives consistent crude oil and is steadily increasing production capacity. Onanuga also noted ongoing work at the adjacent co-located refinery, which is expected to become operational soon.
“Nigerians must ignore the naysayers. This facility has been transformed into a 21st-century refinery and is no longer the dormant asset it once was,” Onanuga said.
The fact-finding mission, he added, has put to rest concerns about the refinery’s revival, offering hope for improved petroleum product availability in the country.
