The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has accused Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) Group Chief Executive Officer Bayo Ojulari of neglecting the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery, raising concerns about delays that could favor private refineries. Meanwhile, two northern groups have filed a lawsuit against NNPC’s Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, in the Federal High Court in Kaduna, alleging mismanagement in the refinery’s rehabilitation and the controversial OVH Energy acquisition.
Sunny Nkpe, PETROAN’s Eastern Zone Chairman, expressed alarm over the slow progress at the Old Port Harcourt Refinery (Area 5), which was shut down on May 24, 2025, for a 30-day repair. During a recent site visit, Nkpe observed minimal activity, noting that contractors, owed payments for over a year, reported near-completion of repairs on Units 12 and 14’s cracking and blending plants before Ojulari’s tenure began. “The lack of commitment from the new GCEO suggests a lack of priority for the refinery’s revival,” Nkpe stated, warning that this could enable private refineries to dominate and inflate fuel prices.
Nkpe highlighted the economic fallout, with thousands of tanker drivers and marketers from PETROAN and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) out of work due to the shutdown. He emphasized the refinery’s role in supplying petroleum products to cities like Aba, Enugu, and Makurdi, stabilizing prices during its seven-month operation last year. “The refinery’s restart is critical to curbing private sector dominance and ensuring affordable fuel,” he said, urging President Bola Tinubu to intervene and prioritize the facility’s revival to prevent what he called “orchestrated delays” by vested interests.
Nkpe, initially optimistic about Ojulari’s appointment given his Shell Oil background, expressed disappointment at the lack of progress. He plans to consult with tanker drivers, independent marketers, and oil suppliers to explore options for advocating the refinery’s restart. While refraining from directly calling for Ojulari’s removal, Nkpe noted that stakeholders support Tinubu’s reform agenda and will resist efforts to undermine it. Attempts to reach NNPC for comment were unsuccessful, as the company currently lacks a spokesperson and listed contact numbers were unreachable.
