The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, said on Friday the Port Harcourt Refining Company would resume operation by December.
The minister, according to a statement issued by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Garba Deen Muhammad, stated this during an assessment tour of the refinery in Port Harcourt.
He declared that Nigerians would enjoy improved supply of petroleum products when the refinery returns on stream.
Lokpobiri was accompanied on the trip by the Minister of State for Petroleum (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Amb. Gabriel T. Aduda, and the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Mele Kyari.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari administration in March 2021 approved the sum of $1.5 billion for a three-phase rehabilitation of the refinery.
The project’s first phase is expected to be completed in 18 months, second 24 months and the third in 44 months.
The minister said: “Our objective in coming here today is to ensure that in the next few years, Nigeria stops fuel importation. From what we have seen here today, Port Harcourt Refinery will come on board by the end of the year.
“Warri will come on stream by the end of the first quarter of next year, and Kaduna will also come on board towards the end of next year. If you add that to the Dangote Refinery, we will be able to stop fuel importation, and Nigerians will enjoy the full benefits of deregulation.”
