The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has announced a new date for the commercial commencement of the Port Harcourt Refinery, with operations set to begin in September 2024.

Umar Ajiya, Chief Financial Officer of NNPCL, made the disclosure on Monday while speaking with journalists in Abuja.

According to Ajiya, petroleum products from the refinery will be ready for testing before being supplied to the domestic market in September.

The September commencement date is the latest in a series of announced start dates for the refinery, which have been delayed. In July, Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, announced that the refinery would commence operation in August.

Earlier, the company had announced March and July 2024 dates for the commencement of the refinery after its mechanical completion in December last year.

The Port Harcourt Refinery, with a combined capacity of 250 million barrels per day, has been undergoing rehabilitation.