What I Saw When I Visited Port Harcourt Refinery – Billy Gillis-Harry Reveals

The national president of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, Billy Gillis-Harry, has shared insights from his recent visit to the Port Harcourt Refinery.

Gillis-Harry, who recently toured the refinery with a capacity of producing 250 barrels of oil per day, noted that the facility is prepared to begin producing petroleum products in significant quantities.

The leader of the oil marketers in Nigeria expressed optimism regarding the imminent commencement of commercial production at the Port Harcourt Refinery.

Speaking to the Daily Post, Gillis-Harry further emphasized that the operational launch of both the Port Harcourt Refinery and the Dangote Refinery would play a crucial role in eliminating fuel shortages across Nigeria.

He said: “Port Harcourt Refinery is gearing up to be on stream to produce Petroleum in commercial quantity. We pray and hope that in the coming days or weeks, this comes to light. I went personally to the refinery. I saw efforts in place to ensure the refinery works.”

Similarly, an oil and gas specialist, Zakka Bala, expressed that Nigeria’s energy security prospects depend on the rejuvenation of its Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries.

He noted that while the Dangote Refinery operates with a profit motive, the government-owned refineries are intended to serve the needs of the Nigerian populace.

He emphasized that the government should not permit individuals who oppose the success of the nation’s refineries to hinder their progress.

“For me, I am bothered about the government-owned refinery. Dangote Refinery is a private business. The company is built to maximize profits. We need to understand why private businesses are profit-centered.

“The moment the private refineries start collecting crude allocation from national refineries, they will never want the refineries to come up again”, Bala told newsmen.

Naija News recalls that in July 2024, Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, indicated that operations at the Port Harcourt refinery are expected to begin in August of this year.

Previously, NNPCL had announced that the refinery would commence operations in March and July 2024, following its mechanical completion in December of the previous year.

This development follows the Nigerian government’s approval in 2021 of $1.5 billion allocated for the turnaround maintenance of the refinery.

Recently, Opeyemi Bamidele, the Chairman of the Senate Committee investigating alleged economic sabotage within the Nigerian Petroleum Industry, has called for an inquiry into the $1.5 billion designated for the maintenance of the Port Harcourt refinery.