The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has called on the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to provide a definite, realistic, and workable timeline for the revival of Nigeria’s refineries.
In a statement by PETROAN’s PRO, Joseph Obele, National President Billy Gillis-Harry expressed deep concern that the country is approaching another election season, emphasizing that Nigerians deserve to know when the refineries will become operational.
PETROAN noted with concern that, despite over $4 billion spent on rehabilitating these refineries over time, tangible results remain absent, raising questions about efficiency, accountability, and project delivery, Nairametrics reported.
This figure includes funds approved and disbursed for the most recent turnaround maintenance and rehabilitation contracts.
“Stakeholders and Nigerians are therefore asking a simple but critical question: When will Nigeria’s refineries resume production? Closely linked to this is the concern over what has become of the billions of dollars committed to their rehabilitation,” the statement said.
“While the NNPCL has announced that it is currently carrying out project appraisals and sourcing strategic partners, PETROAN insists that every serious project must be guided by a clear timeline with measurable milestones. Nigerians deserve to know exactly when these refineries will return to operation.”
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Nigeria’s refineries, located in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna, have a combined installed capacity of 445,000 barrels per day: Port Harcourt 210,000 bpd, Warri 125,000 bpd, and Kaduna 110,000 bpd.
Despite this capacity, the facilities have remained largely non-operational for years.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Gillis-Harry warned that governance and project execution often slow down during election periods, making it crucial that decisive action be taken in the first quarter of the year, ahead of the forthcoming elections.
He added that operationalizing Nigeria’s refineries would significantly reduce petroleum product costs.
“Local refining will drastically cut importation, conserve foreign exchange, strengthen the naira, and create thousands of direct and indirect jobs across the petroleum value chain,” he said.
PETROAN reaffirmed its readiness to fully support NNPCL and the Federal Government in reviving all four refineries, noting that credible foreign technical and financial partners are prepared to collaborate to achieve this national objective.
PETROAN previously called on the Federal Government, in September 2025, to engage reputable foreign companies as technical and equity partners in managing the Port Harcourt refinery.
The association commended NNPC Group CEO Bayo Ojulari for initiating steps toward engaging a private firm under the Technical and Equity (T&E) partnership model and for awarding the refinery’s assessment contract to the internationally renowned firm UOP.
PETROAN urged a transparent and expedited revival process free from political interference.
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Image Credit: LEADERSHIP Newspapers
