The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has provided an explanation for the delay in the completion of the much-anticipated Port Harcourt Refinery, which missed its September deadline.
In an interview on Monday, NNPC’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, attributed the delay to unforeseen risks and challenges encountered during the rehabilitation process, describing the project as a “brownfield” one, meaning it involves working with existing infrastructure.
Soneye highlighted that, despite successfully achieving mechanical completion several months ago, the company faced complications during the commissioning of critical equipment and processing units.
These issues have now been resolved, and commissioning activities have resumed. Soneye reassured that work continues around the clock to ensure the refinery’s completion, although he refrained from setting a new deadline, citing previous failed attempts to meet set timelines.
The refinery, which has been out of operation for years, is a key part of the government’s plan to reduce fuel imports by refining crude domestically.
Despite the challenges, NNPC officials remain optimistic about the eventual success of the project. However, the failure to meet multiple deadlines has left many Nigerians frustrated, with the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and NNPC continuing to face criticism for the prolonged delays. Additionally, the contractor overseeing the rehabilitation, Maire Tecnimont SPA, has not provided a clear completion date, despite requests for transparency.
