Many Nigerians have expressed happiness following the announcement by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) that the Port Harcourt refinery has begun production of fuel.
This development is coming after several postponements and a series of deadline flops by the company.
NNPCL spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, confirmed the commissioning of the nation’s refinery, saying the loading of trucks would start on Tuesday.
Several reactions have started trailing the announcement as many Nigerians expressed hope that the revitalisation of the Port Harcourt Refinery would assist in addressing fuel hikes in the country.
It could be recalled that NNPC Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, had explained that the company encountered risks and challenges while carrying out the rehabilitation, being a brownfield project for the refinery.
Soneye had revealed that the unforseen risks and challenges the company confronted further contributed in delaying the fixing of the refinery.
Soneye disclosed that the refinery will operate at 60 percent capacity and process 60,000 bpd.
For Soneye, the commencement of the refinery signals a monumental achievement for Nigeria and that the crude oil processing is a groundbreaking milestone that signifies a new era of energy independence and economic growth for the nation.
While commending and congratulating President Bola Tinubu, the NNPC Board, and the leadership of Mele Kyari for their unwavering commitment to the transformative project, Soneye is of the view that the present administration at the centre is reshaping Nigeria’s energy future.
He added that truck loading will also commence on Tuesday, adding that the NNPCL is also working tirelessly to bring the Warri Refinery back online soon.
According to him, the official commencement of Port Harcourt Refinery ends a series of failed deadlines for the commencement of production at the refinery in Nigeria’s oil-rich Rivers State.
