The declaration by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) regarding the closure of the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), also called Port Harcourt Refinery, has sparked a wave of ire among industry stakeholders and analysts. They have renewed their demands for complete privatisation of government-owned refineries to enhance their efficiency and optimisation.
The NNPCL declared on Friday that the refinery would be shut down starting Saturday for scheduled maintenance.
This follows six months after the refinery began truck loading of petroleum products, following a rehabilitation program that cost $1.5 billion.
In a statement confirming the shutdown, Chief Corporate Communications Officer Femi Soneye noted that it was part of a scheduled maintenance and sustainability assessment to ensure the facility operates optimally.
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