BREAKING: Port Harcourt Refinery Halts Operation, Loading Bail Empty

 The initial excitement surrounding the resumption of activities at the Port Harcourt Refining Company has quickly faded, leaving many Nigerians in suspense. A visit by Saturday PUNCH to the refinery revealed no activity on site on Friday, just days after the refinery was inaugurated by the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Melee Kyari.

Kyari had launched the new plant at the Area 5 terminal on Tuesday, claiming that 200 petrol trucks were being loaded daily. However, skepticism followed the announcement, as reports suggested the trucks were being filled with old products stored in the tanks. Upon visiting the facility, it became clear that no substantial operations were taking place. Workers at the site explained that the refinery was undergoing a calibration process, which was expected to last until next week.

An anonymous official revealed that the products loaded onto trucks were "dead stock"—old petrol, kerosene, and diesel left in storage tanks when the refinery shut down between 2015 and 2016. These products, which had been left in storage during the refinery’s rehabilitation, were being evacuated for redistribution. The petrol loaded from the tanks was reportedly "off-spec," requiring further processing to meet quality standards.

Despite the official claims, the refinery’s operations appeared to be far from fully functional. Refineries worldwide now operate with digital, automated systems, but the Port Harcourt Refinery is reportedly using manual methods, with refurbished pumps. On Tuesday, during Kyari’s visit, seven trucks were prepared for loading, but only five were filled with petrol. By Friday afternoon, when Saturday PUNCH visited the refinery, only nine trucks were seen parked, and the loading bays were empty, with no machinery in operation.

A worker at the site explained that calibration of the pumps was still underway and that product loading would not commence until the process was complete. The worker suggested that loading of diesel and kerosene might begin by the following Monday.

Local residents expressed disappointment at the slow progress, with one resident of Eleme Local Government Area in Rivers State saying, "After the ceremony with Mele Kyari, where they said the refinery had started operations, what happened afterward? They continued loading on air, that is on the pages of newspapers and social media."

In response to inquiries about the refinery's lack of activity, Dr. Joseph Obelle, National Public Relations Officer of the Petroleum Product Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), confirmed that the delay was due to ongoing calibration of the loading pumps, which he said would be completed that day.

Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Petroleum visited the refinery on Thursday for a facility tour, but the results of the visit have not been made public. The NNPCL spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, did not respond to calls or messages seeking further clarification.

The NNPCL had previously denied claims by a community leader, Timothy Mgbere, who suggested the refinery was not producing fuel. Soneye dismissed these claims, stating that the Port Harcourt refineries—both old and new—were integrated, sharing common utilities, including storage tanks and loading gantries.

Despite these assurances, the continued lack of significant activity at the refinery raises questions about the timeline for the facility's full operational capacity and its impact on Nigeria’s fuel supply.