The Port Harcourt Refining Company has completed mechanical work and received crude oil, but its operational start is delayed pending regulatory licenses and compliance checks.
Senior officials from the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and NNPC disclosed that foreign inspectors are conducting thorough checks before allowing operations to commence
They emphasized the need to ensure regulatory integrity and operational safety.
Earlier announcements by NNPC’s CEO, Mele Kyari, indicated readiness for operation, with 450,000 barrels of crude already supplied.
However, delays similar to those experienced by the Dangote Refinery were cited by Petroleum Minister Heineken Lokpobiri. He noted that operational readiness takes time even after mechanical completion.
Lokpobiri assured that efforts are ongoing to support the refinery’s eventual production start.