By Ayo Kehinde
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) to ensure that ongoing maintenance work on the old Port Harcourt Refinery is completed within 30 days.
The NNPC announced a maintenance shutdown of the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), which began on Saturday, May 24, 2025.
Raising concerns over the potential impact of an extended shutdown, PETROAN National President, Billy Gillis-Harry, warned that delays could disrupt fuel distribution, encourage monopolistic practices, and hamper the steady supply of petroleum products.
“The repairs must be completed before current fuel stocks are exhausted. Any delay could open the door to monopolies and interrupt the regular supply of petroleum products,” he said on Sunday.
To ensure transparency and accountability, PETROAN called for the establishment of a special task force led by the Minister of Petroleum and comprised of members of the Petroleum Industry Stakeholders Forum. The task force, according to the association, should monitor the rehabilitation process and provide regular updates to the public.
The association also emphasised the need for urgent repairs to the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) blending unit and called for prompt payment to contractors handling the project. PETROAN cautioned that delayed disbursement of funds would only prolong the refinery’s downtime.
According to the group, timely completion of the maintenance work would boost competition in the downstream sector and deliver significant benefits to consumers and the Nigerian economy.
