*Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria urges the NNPC Limited to adhere to its scheduled 30-day repair timeline for the Port-Harcourt Refining Company, to avert disruptions to petroleum products supply to consumers across the West African country

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

Sequel to apparent disruptions to petroleum product supply to consumers, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to adhere to its scheduled 30-day repair timeline for the Port-Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), in Rivers State.

Billy Gillis-Harry, National President of PETROAN, who expressed the Association’s concerns over the recent shutdown of the Old Port Harcourt Refinery, in a statement, said the shutdown of the facility for maintenance is expected.

Gillis-Harry said the Association, however, urged the NNPCL to stick to the repair timeline so as minimise possible disruptions to petroleum product supply across the country.

It is recalled Mr. Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Limited, in a statement had announced that the Port Harcourt Refining Company would undergo a planned maintenance shutdown.

Soneye stated that the scheduled maintenance and sustainability assessment of the oil-refining facility would commence May 24, 2025.

The NNPCL Spokesman also noted the company was 鈥渨orking closely with all relevant stakeholders, including the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), to ensure that the maintenance and assessment activities are carried out efficiently and transparently.鈥�

PETROAN: Maintenance delays may worsen hardship for Nigerian consumers

Despite the company’s assurance during the scheduled maintenance, Gillis-Harry, PETROAN National President, has expressed the fear that the 30-day schedule might not be realistic due to usual bottlenecks.

He further emphasised such bottlenecks potentially, might lead to further delays and worsen product supply challenges in the West African country.

Besides, the PETROAN expressed worries that any delays in the announced 30-day rehabilitation schedule of the old Port-Harcourt Refinery’s might worsen economic hardship for millions of Nigerian consumers.

It, however, emphasised that the repair process must include the blending unit for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol, as the crude oil cracking process is of no value without it.

The oil retailers also demanded 鈥渢hat NNPC completes the repair before existing stocks run dry to prevent market monopoly, and ensure a stable supply of petroleum products.鈥�

The Association as well stressed that completing the repair on time would help to maintain competition in the market, benefiting energy consumers, and the economy at large.

Stakeholders should monitor NNPCL’s 30-day repairs at PHRC: Marketers

PETROAN equally recommended that the Minister of State (Petroleum) should constitute a task force, comprising all petroleum industry stakeholders to monitor the 30-day repairs and to brief Nigerians on the job progress every weekend.

It said this measure is to ensure transparency and accountability in achieving the repair schedule for the oil-refining facility.

PETROAN recommended prompt payments to contractors handling the repairs in order to avoid delays and ensure the project stays on track.

Company鈥檚 embargo on interactions with non-staff, or information for media?

In a related development, an internal memo circulated in the Port-Harcourt Refinery on the Area 5 plant shutdown, Monday, reportedly warned staff to not interact with external people, or give information to the media.

The communication also stated that as “government workers”, it is against the Labour Law to engage pressmen in interviews.

Any defaulter will be severely disciplined, report said.