The National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN) has lauded the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) for successfully reviving the long-dormant Port Harcourt refinery.
According to NAN, this recognition came from Blessing Akinlosotu, Executive Director of the NCSCN, during a news conference on Thursday in Abuja.
Akinlosotu further highlighted that the 60,000 barrels per day (bpd) refinery, managed by the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), began truck-out of petroleum products earlier this week after years of inactivity.
He praised the refinery’s current operational capacity of 70 per cent, crediting it to the diligent efforts of the NNPC Ltd. team, under the leadership of Mele Kyari, the Group’s Chief Executive Officer.
“With ambitious plans to ramp up to 90 per cent capacity in the near future, this achievement represents a critical step towards stabilizing the availability of petroleum products in Nigeria,” Akinlosotu said.
The refinery’s impressive daily output includes 1.4 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 900,000 litres of Household Kerosene (HHK), 1.5 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), and 2.1 million litres of Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO), demonstrating its vast potential to meet Nigeria’s growing energy demands.
Akinlosotu described the resumption of operations at the Port Harcourt refinery as a landmark achievement with far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s economy and energy security. He commended NNPC Ltd. for fulfilling its promise with the first successful loading of petroleum products after years of stalled efforts.
“These feat heralds a new era in Nigeria’s energy sector, marking a giant stride towards self-sufficiency in petroleum production and a substantial reduction in reliance on foreign imports,” he stated.
He also urged NNPC to continue its efforts by focusing on the revitalization of the Kaduna and Warri refineries to further boost Nigeria’s refining capacity and reduce dependency on imported petroleum products.
Akinlosotu praised NNPC for surpassing its revenue targets, reaching N14 trillion in 2024, and commended President Bola Tinubu’s leadership in transforming Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
“The Council reaffirms our commitment to collaborating with the government, NNPC Ltd., and other stakeholders to ensure a bright and sustainable energy future for Nigeria,” Akinlosotu concluded.
Backstory
In a recent report by Nairametrics, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited announced a significant increase in its crude oil and gas production for November. According to NNPC spokesperson Olufemi Soneye, the corporation has made substantial progress in boosting production levels.
- NNPC achieved a crude oil production rate of 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in November.
- NNPC also recorded a gas production of 7.4 standard cubic feet per day (scfd).
- The corporation also set an ambitious target of reaching 2 million bpd by the end of the year. During a press briefing, NNPC Group CEO Mele Kyari praised the efforts of the Production War Room Team for their role in driving the recovery process.
“The team has done an excellent job in not just recovering production but also in escalating output to the expected levels. These efforts align with the mandates set by the President, the Honourable Minister, and the Board, and will help ensure long-term production stability,” Kyari said.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) deserves commendation for its significant progress in increasing crude oil production to 1.8 million barrels per day, with a targeted goal of reaching 2 million bpd by the end of the year.
This achievement reflects the tireless efforts of NNPC’s leadership.