The Port Harcourt Refining Company, a refinery under the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), has once again failed to commence operations, despite numerous promises and postponements.

The refinery, which has been undergoing rehabilitation work since 2023, was initially expected to commence operations in December of that year.

However, the NNPC has continued to push back the start date, with the latest promise being early August.

It can be recalled that the Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, while appearing before the senate in July boasted, “I can confirm to you, Mr Chairman, that by the end of the year, this country will be a net exporter of petroleum products.

“Specific to NNPC refineries, we have spoken to a number of your committees, and it is impossible to have the Kaduna refinery come into operation before December, it will get to December, both Warri and Kaduna, but that of Port Harcourt will commence production early August this year.”

Despite this, the refinery remains inactive.

It can also be recalled that Kyari previously pledged in 2019 that the NNPC would complete the rehabilitation of all four national refineries within the tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

The NNPC has given various reasons for many of its delays, including the need for further testing and the completion of rehabilitation work. However, many are sceptical about the company’s ability to meet its targets, given its history of failed promises.

The NNPC has however maintained that it was on track to meet its targets, despite missing the early August deadline.

When queried, NNPC spokesperson Olufemi Soneye briefly responded, “We are on course,” but declined to elaborate on whether the refinery would become operational this month.

This statement comes after a series of missed deadlines, including the December announcement that the 210,000 barrels per day refinery had reached mechanical completion and would start refining 60,000 barrels of crude oil daily after Christmas.

In January, Kyari stated that the refinery was undergoing testing and would be ready by the end of the month.

In February, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited delivered 475,000 barrels of crude oil to the Port Harcourt refinery, fueling expectations that production would soon commence. However, NNPC had not disclosed whether it had secured a reputable operations and maintenance company to run the refinery, despite announcing its intention to do so in January.

In mid-March, Kyari promised that the Port Harcourt refinery would start operations within two weeks, specifically in April, but this deadline also passed without the refinery becoming operational.

The refinery is one of four owned by the government, and its inability to produce refined products has led to a reliance on imports, putting a strain on the country’s foreign exchange reserves.