Port Harcourt Refinery “99 Percent” Ready, Says IPMAN

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, has assured that the Port Harcourt refinery may begin production in July this year.

Ukadike Chinedu, the Spokesman of the Association told journalists that the management of the refinery has assured them that it’s ready to take off.

The 210,000 barrel per day refinery, when fully operational, is expected to reduce gasoline importation into the country.

But many assurances by governments in the past that the refinery would become operational had ended in disappointment.

Speaking, Chinedu stated that the refinery is now “99 percent” complete, and expected to begin production in two months.

He explained that the refinery would also reduce the price of fuel in the country when it eventually rolls into production, adding that there’s no room for further delay.

According to him, ……..”the MD told us that the refinery was almost ready and by the end of July, they would start producing. It has been turned into a new one they changed all the armoured cable to brand new and everything there is almost like a brand-new refinery.”

“The turnaround on maintenance is very massive and the job is being done day and night. All hands are on deck to make sure that they meet that target. By ending of July the refinery should be ready.

“What we want is competition. I am very sure that with the two refineries, the price of petrol will be reduced. Dangote is coming soon and the Port Harcourt refinery is almost ready too and that is very good. We need that competition for the benefit of the nation,” he said.

The President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration has also promised to ensure that the Kaduna refinery bounces back to work as part of the petroleum sector reform, even though many Nigerians have doubts considering that such assurance in the past have failed.