Onanuga shares insights from visit to Port Harcourt refinery

Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, has confirmed that the Port Harcourt Refinery is now operational.

In a post shared on his X account early Thursday, Onanuga revealed that he, along with a delegation, visited the refinery on Wednesday to verify its status.

This visit followed reports questioning the facility’s operational state, despite the management’s announcement that crude oil processing had resumed. The Port Harcourt Refinery officially restarted operations on November 26 after years of inactivity.

However, skepticism among Nigerians, fueled by concerns raised by some stakeholders, led to doubts about its revival.

After the inspection, Onanuga assured Nigerians that the refinery is indeed up and running, dismissing circulating misinformation.

During the visit, the delegation was taken on a guided tour of the refinery by its Managing Director, Ibrahim Onoja. Onanuga expressed satisfaction with the progress observed, noting that while the refinery is not yet operating at full capacity, it is functioning at 70% of its installed capacity, with plans underway to increase output.

“I was part of a fact-finding team that visited the 60,000 barrels daily Port Harcourt Refining Complex on Wednesday. I will now share our findings. Our mission was to verify the rumours circulating about the refinery’s state, and I am pleased to report that we were satisfied with what we saw.

“Our team, guided by the refinery’s Managing Director Ibrahim Onoja, toured the entire complex, from the computerised control room to the loading bay and every section in between. We asked pointed questions and received satisfactory answers, dispelling our doubts and misconceptions.

“Nigerians must ignore naysayers and false information about the refinery’s operations. While it is not currently running at 100%, it is functioning at 70% installed capacity, with plans to increase production shortly. Furthermore, the refinery receives regular crude supplies, contrary to claims that it lacks crude to refine.