ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, has revealed that work is ongoing at the Port Harcourt Refining Company’s 150,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) plant in Rivers State.
The PHRC comprises two facilities: a 60,000bpd refinery and the larger 150,000bpd plant.
Onanuga noted that the 60,000bpd refinery is currently operating at 70% of its installed capacity, with plans to boost production soon.
He also dismissed claims of crude oil shortages, confirming that the refinery receives a steady supply of the product.
Onanuga made these remarks after participating in a fact-finding visit to the 60,000bpd facility on Wednesday.
In a post on X titled “Putting to Rest Rumours about Port Harcourt Refinery Complex: Our Fact-Finding Mission” on Thursday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, stated that the team’s fact-finding mission had debunked misconceptions and doubts surrounding the refinery.
He added that the team was impressed and satisfied with the current state of the facility.
Onanuga said, “I was part of a fact-finding team that visited the 60,000 barrels daily Port Harcourt Refining Complex on Wednesday. I will now share our findings.
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“Our team, guided by the refinery’s Managing Director Ibrahim Onoja, toured the entire complex, from the computerised control room to the loading bay and every section in between. We asked pointed questions and received satisfactory answers, dispelling our doubts and misconceptions.
“Nigerians must ignore naysayers and false information about the refinery’s operations.
While it is not currently running at 100 per cent, it is functioning at 70 per cent installed capacity, with plans to increase production shortly.
“Furthermore, the refinery receives regular crude supplies, contrary to claims that it lacks crude to refine.”
He commended NNPCL for reviving “this dead asset,” on the “verge of becoming a museum piece.”
In November, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) announced the commencement of operations at the Port Harcourt Refinery, according to NNPCL spokesperson Olufemi Soneye.
Soneye stated that the refinery is operating at 60% capacity, processing 60,000 barrels of crude oil per day, with efforts underway to increase production.
He noted that the facility has a total installed capacity of 210,000 barrels per day.
During a recent visit, Presidential Adviser Bayo Onanuga confirmed that the refinery is actively producing petroleum products, including kerosene, low-pour fuel oil, liquefied petroleum gas, diesel, and petrol.
“The latter is blended with other products to make the petrol we use in our cars. We even tested samples of the products,” he said.
“The refinery’s recent overhaul has transformed it into a modern facility. We saw upgraded and replaced parts, including part of the 300km new pipelines.
“Some parts the company had not changed in 27 years have been replaced with new ones, bringing the refinery up to 21st-century standard.”
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having “brought the refinery back to life,” noting that what was once a 20th-century facility has been upgraded into a state-of-the-art refinery.
Presidential Adviser Bayo Onanuga added that the team also inspected the adjacent second Port Harcourt refinery, commissioned in 1989, where workers were actively replacing old, rusty components with new installations.
“Although officials declined to provide a timeline for its completion, there was an air of confidence that it would soon be operational, joining its 60,000 barrels a day counterpart,” the spokesperson said.
“My curiosity has been satisfied. I commend NNPC Limited and the refinery team for reviving this dead asset, which was on the verge of becoming a museum piece.”
Onanuga said the fact-finding mission “has buried the various doubts and lies about the Port Harcourt Refinery Complex”.