After years of underperformance and maintenance, this development marks a significant turnaround for the refinery. Four of Nigeria’s refineries, including those in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna, collectively possess the capacity to process 445,000 barrels per day (bpd). However, they were shut down in 2019.

In August, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), announced during an inspection tour that the Port Harcourt refinery would resume operations by the end of the year.

“Our objective in coming here today is to ensure that in the next few years, Nigeria stops fuel importation. From what we have seen here today, Port Harcourt Refinery will come on board by the end of the year,” he said in August.

The recommencement follows over two years since the Federal Government allocated $1.5 billion for the repair of one of its largest oil refineries. Italian firm Maire Tecnimont was selected for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt facility, which has a capacity of around 210,000 bpd.

The rehabilitation will occur in three phases, aiming to reach 90 percent of the refinery’s nameplate capacity in the first 18 months. The second and third phases are scheduled to be completed in 24 and 44 months, respectively.

“We are happy to announce that the rehabilitation of productivity refinery will commence in three phases,” the then-Minister of Petroleum (State) Timipre Sylva told reporters.

“The first phase is to be completed in 18 months, which will take the refinery to a production of 90 percent of its nameplate capacity,” said Sylva, adding that the second phase would be completed in 24 months and the third in 44 months.

Nigeria, as Africa’s leading oil producer, has faced fuel shortages due to reliance on imports.

 The government’s efforts to enhance capacity at state-owned refineries, coupled with the resumption of activity at the Port Harcourt facility and the upcoming Dangote Refinery project, aim to boost fuel supply and generate savings on refined fuel and petroleum products.

Additionally, the removal of fuel subsidies is expected to impact the product’s cost positively.