Port Harcourt Refinery will come on board by the end of the year. We will stop importing fuel come 2024 – Minister of State for Petroleum, Lokpobiri

Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), has reaffirmed the federal government’s dedication to bringing the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) Ltd back into operation by December.

This assurance was communicated in a statement released on Friday by Garba Deen Muhammad, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited. Senator Lokpobiri conveyed this commitment during an inspection visit to the ongoing rehabilitation progress at the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) Ltd plant on Friday.

The statement highlighted that the Minister emphasized intensified efforts to reinstate the nation’s domestic refining capacity as part of the government’s strategy to put an end to petroleum product imports. Senator Lokpobiri expressed contentment with the ongoing rehabilitation efforts at the Port Harcourt refinery, underlining that once all the refineries are operational again, Nigerians will experience an improved supply of petroleum products.

“Our objective in coming here today is to ensure that in the next few years, Nigeria stops fuel importation. From what we have seen here today, Port Harcourt Refinery will come on board by the end of the year.

“Warri will come on stream by the end of the first quarter of next year, and Kaduna will also come on board towards the end of next year. If you add that to the Dangote Refinery, we will be able to stop fuel importation, and Nigerians will enjoy the full benefits of deregulation,” he said.