Echotitbits – Nigeria News

Tag: refinery rehabilitation

  • Port Harcourt Refinery Still Trucking Diesel Despite ‘Shutdown Mode’ Status

    Port Harcourt Refinery Still Trucking Diesel Despite ‘Shutdown Mode’ Status

    2025-12-30 12:30:00

    Figures cited by Punch suggest diesel continued to be evacuated in trucks from Port Harcourt refinery facilities despite the plant being in “shutdown mode,” with the explanation tied to stock produced before the shutdown date.

    The distinction between production and evacuation has become central amid public scrutiny of state refinery performance and rehabilitation claims.

    The development has renewed calls for clearer reporting of refining metrics—what is produced, what is stored and what is trucked out—so consumers and markets can track real progress.

    Africa Business Insider, citing regulator data, said at Port Harcourt “no production activities” were recorded while evacuation continued from existing stock. Punch reported the same framing, quoting the plant remained in “shutdown mode” even as diesel truck-outs persisted.

    Echotitbits take: Nigeria needs transparent dashboards where ‘production’ isn’t confused with ‘distribution.’ Watch for whether NMDPRA publishes more granular refinery reporting and whether NNPCL clarifies a firm timeline for sustained restart.

    Source: The Punch — December 30, 2025 (https://punchng.com/p-harcourt-refinery-supplies-3150-diesel-trucks-despite-shutdown/)

    The Punch 2025-12-30

    Photo Credit: The Punch

  • Port Harcourt refinery stays offline, but diesel evacuation continues — regulator

    Port Harcourt refinery stays offline, but diesel evacuation continues — regulator

    Photo Credit: The Punch
    2025-12-28 09:00:00

    In an update published by Punch, Nigeria’s downstream regulator said the Port Harcourt refinery remains shut but diesel (automotive gas oil) has continued entering the market via evacuations.

    The report attributes the ongoing diesel movement to regulator data, even as the facility remains under maintenance following a shutdown announced earlier in 2025.

    A DailyReport.ng write‑up stated “NMDPRA confirms 349,000 litres of AGO supplied daily,” while TheCable previously reported NNPC would shut the Port Harcourt Refining Company “for maintenance,” underscoring the continued stop‑start nature of domestic refining.

    Echotitbits take: This is a trust and transparency problem. If product evacuation is from existing stock, the public needs clear reporting on inventory, throughput, and maintenance milestones. Watch for NMDPRA’s daily/weekly supply dashboards and NNPC’s turnaround timelines.

    Source: The Punch — December 28, 2025 (https://punchng.com/port-harcourt-refinery-supplies-diesel-while-shut-nmdpra/)

    The Punch 2025-12-28

  • Fuel Marketers Push Privatisation of NNPC Refineries, Want Deadline by Q1 2026

    Fuel Marketers Push Privatisation of NNPC Refineries, Want Deadline by Q1 2026

    Photo Credit: The Punch
    2025-12-26 06:40:00

    According to *PUNCH*, petroleum retail outlet owners are renewing pressure on the Federal Government to privatise Nigeria’s state-owned refineries, arguing that repeated public-funded rehabilitation has not produced stable output and has left the country reliant on imports.

    The association’s argument is framed around competition, efficiency, and investment: private capital and technical expertise, it says, could make refining assets commercially viable and reduce fiscal drain.

    If implemented, the policy shift could reshape downstream dynamics—product supply stability, pricing logistics, and FX demand—though labour, asset valuation, and governance terms would be fiercely contested.

    Energy-sector analysts will watch whether government moves from “rehabilitation” language to clear transaction milestones, and how any privatisation aligns with local content and security realities.

    *The Guardian* reported that PETROAN “renewed its call for the privatisation of Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries,” while *SweetCrudeReports* added that “timely privatisation would eliminate recurring fiscal burdens” and attract capital and expertise.

    Echotitbits take: This is the downstream debate Nigeria keeps postponing. The make-or-break factor is credibility: transparent bidding, clear performance obligations, and a governance framework that prevents a new cycle of capture and underperformance.

    Source: Punch — Dec 26, 2025 (https://punchng.com/petroan-pushes-nnpc-refineries-privatisation-by-q1-2026/)

    Photo credit/source: The Punch
    The Punch 2025-12-26

  • EFCC refinery investigation drags on as Nigerians press for named suspects and charges

    EFCC refinery investigation drags on as Nigerians press for named suspects and charges

    Photo Credit: The Punch
    2025-12-21 00:40:00

    Reporting by The Punch indicates the EFCC’s probe into alleged mismanagement of billions allocated to state refinery rehabilitation remains unresolved months after invitations and reported recoveries, with no suspects arraigned.

    The report says investigators are looking at how funds for Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries were spent without commensurate improvements in output, as civil society groups warn delays deepen perceptions of selective enforcement.

    In the piece, advocacy groups argue prolonged silence can weaken public confidence and create room for interference, while the economic cost of non-performing refineries remains a recurring policy sore point.

    BusinessDay reported the EFCC opened investigations into alleged abuse of office and misappropriation tied to refinery funds, describing it as “an investigation into alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of funds.” The Punch also quoted an anti-corruption advocate urging action, saying, “It baffles us that nothing has been heard from the EFCC after over six months.”

    Echotitbits take:
    The credibility marker is court action: charges filed, defendants named, and a clear recovery/prosecution track. Watch for any formal arraignments, asset recovery disclosures, and whether NNPCL’s governance reforms alter how such projects are procured and audited.

    Source: The Punch — December 21, 2025 (https://punchng.com/nnpc-refinery-probe-drags-as-efcc-keeps-mum-on-suspects/)
    The Punch 2025-12-21