Refineries: Is Kyari Lying Again?

Since the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC Limited, Mele Kyari assured Nigerian, on Monday, that the nation’s refineries will start production by December, not a few Nigerians have taken the oil firm boss’ promise with a pinch of salt.

There are four refineries in Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Warri, Delta state which have become moribund for many years, a development that made the country one of the major importers of refined products despite her status as a major crude oil producer.

Not a few Nigerians are unhappy that despite being a major crude oil producer, the country still suffers perennial fuel scarcity, will other attendant economic consequences.

Kyari gave the assurance yesterday when he appeared before the Senate Adhoc Committee on the management of the nation’s refineries led by Senator Sani Musa.

The committee was set up by the Senate to investigate what the NNPCL has done so far to ensure that the refineries is delivered for production, after many failed assurances by the state-owned oil firm.

Recall that Kyari had in December 2023 promised to ensure that the Port Harcourt Refineries started production fully by July this year. He had earlier assured Nigerians that the refineries will come upstream by December last year before the date was later shifted to the middle of this year.

Responding to senators’ queries yesterday Kyari stated that the date for full delivery of the Refineries for production is now sacrosanct, and would not longer be changed.

According to him “every technical work that is required to get the refinery to work has been completed,” and nothing will delay production starting from December.

He said everything is being done to ensure that Nigeria becomes a major exporter of refined products, that with full production from the Dangote Refinery this will be achieved.

What Kyari told the senators, “Let me explain this very clearly. We did have mechanical completion of the Port Harcourt refinery, which means that every technical work that is required to get the refinery to work has been completed. This is what we announced December last year, if you recall.

“Once you are mechanically completed for an existing refinery, even for new ones, there are several technical steps that you have to take when you are introducing hydrocarbon into this plant. It is only then that you will see the real challenges of even a new refinery. And I can confirm to you today that we have gone through this.

“We are already introducing hydrocarbon under a hot situation, that’s what we call it. And I’m very sure that latest by early August, the Port harcourt refinery will start producing products.

“And of course, the new one will get to December. And Warri will also be in production. I’m very optimistic. I don’t have any confirmation at this moment, so that nobody quotes me and says, oh, you keep lying. No, we’re not lying to you, Mr. President. This is a technical process.

“We do our best of intention. You can put debts on a refinery start-up, but it is when you get to start-up that you see the real challenges, even for a new refinery. As you can see, even a new, porthacouurtģ refinery, it really has to take steps and processes to get it to full operationality.

“This is very normal in a refinery operation. So we don’t put hard debts on it because there are things that you are never in control. Otherwise, I can confirm to you that we are taking every step to make sure that it works.”

Meanwhile, not a few Nigerians, according to analysts are requesting a detail accountability from the NNPCL on the cost of fixing the refineries so far, considering the humongous funds that has been allocated for that purpose in the last few years.