NNPC Faces Backlash as Marketers Slam Slow Rehabilitation of Port Harcourt Refinery

The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has strongly criticized the Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr. Bayo Ojulari, for what it describes as neglect in reviving the Port Harcourt refinery.

This criticism comes amid growing concerns over the slow pace of rehabilitation at the Old Port Harcourt Refinery, which was shut down on May 24, 2025, for a scheduled 30-day repair.

Sunny Nkpe, PETROAN’s Zonal Chairman for System 2E (Eastern Zone), expressed alarm after a recent site visit, describing the progress at the refinery as “slow” and disappointing. Nkpe also accused Ojulari of failing to physically inspect the refinery since assuming office four months ago.

“Before Ojulari’s appointment, repairs on the cracking and blending plants of Units 12 and 14 were near completion. However, the contractors claim they have been owed for over 12 months, and the new leadership has shown no commitment to the project,” Nkpe said.

Nkpe warned that the neglect threatens thousands of jobs, including those of petroleum tanker drivers and marketers, who rely on the refinery’s operations. He called for urgent government intervention to revive the facility, highlighting its importance to supply chains in Aba, Enugu, Makurdi, and other major cities.

He urged President Bola Tinubu to give “top priority attention” to the Port Harcourt refinery and warned that the delays appear “orchestrated” by vested interests aiming to sabotage the national energy agenda.

Meanwhile, two northern advocacy groups — the Arewa Community for Empowerment and Development and the Arewa Consultative Youth Movement — have taken legal action against NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Dapo Segun. The groups filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Kaduna accusing Segun of “direct and supervisory roles” in the failed rehabilitation of Nigerian refineries and the controversial acquisition of OVH Energy.

The plaintiffs argue that billions of naira were committed to these projects without tangible results, perpetuating Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products. They are demanding an investigation, prosecution, and the immediate suspension of Segun from his duties.

“If the EFCC can detain former northern NNPC executives over similar issues, then Dapo Segun must also face justice,” said Kabiru Yusuf, President of the Arewa Consultative Youth Movement, accusing the government of selective justice.

The lawsuit calls on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct a “thorough and dispassionate investigation” and to make findings public within two weeks. It also seeks orders for Segun to step aside while investigations are ongoing and to refrain from interfering with relevant documents.

Nigeria’s refineries—Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna—have long struggled with underperformance despite multi-billion-dollar rehabilitation efforts initiated since 2021. The government continues to rely heavily on imported refined products.

The acquisition of OVH Energy by NNPCL in 2022, intended to strengthen its downstream operations, remains controversial amid ongoing sector reforms and debates over market deregulation.

Efforts to reach NNPCL for comment on these developments were unsuccessful as the company remains without an official spokesperson and listed contact lines were unreachable.