The Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has clarified that the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) has not yet commenced bulk sales or opened its purchase portal, as critical processes are still being finalised.
This was disclosed in a statement on Friday by NNPCL’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye.
He explained that the products currently sold by the refinery are sourced from the Dangote Refinery, with applicable fees determined by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
“At this stage, products from PHRC are solely supplied to our retail outlets. Pricing is reviewed and adjusted periodically as necessary to align with operational realities,” the statement noted.
Public Guidance on Pricing Information
The company urged the public to disregard any misleading information regarding pricing and assured that official announcements will be made if and when price reviews occur.
This clarification comes as the public anticipates the full-scale operations of the PHRC while the company works to streamline its processes.
Refinery Operational Update
Earlier, NNPCL clarified that the Port Harcourt refinery is currently operating at 90 per cent capacity, countering claims made by the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) that it was functioning at 70 per cent capacity.
On Thursday, PETROAN had stated that the refinery was operating at 70 per cent of its installed capacity, with plans to increase to 90 per cent. However, NNPCL confirmed that crude oil refining has commenced at the Port Harcourt refinery.
“Stop the rumours: the Port Harcourt old refinery is operational, producing by-products of crude oil,” PETROAN’s spokesperson, Joseph Obele, stated.
He added that the functional plant currently in operation is the old refinery, with a capacity of 60,000 barrels per day. Meanwhile, the new Port Harcourt refinery, with a capacity of 200,000 barrels per day, remains 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.