The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has accused Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) Group CEO Bayo Ojulari of neglecting efforts to revive the Port Harcourt refinery, raising concerns about the slow progress of repairs.
PETROAN’s Eastern Zone Zonal Chairman, Sunny Nkpe, expressed alarm over the stalled rehabilitation of the Old Port Harcourt Refinery (Area 5), which was shut down on May 24, 2025, for a scheduled 30-day repair. Nkpe, who recently visited the site for an oversight inspection, criticized the lack of visible progress and noted that Ojulari has yet to make a physical visit to the facility since assuming office four months ago.
Nkpe also revealed that contractors working on the refinery have been owed payments for over a year, and alleged that the NNPC CEO’s apparent disinterest risks giving undue advantage to private refineries, potentially leading to higher petroleum prices for Nigerians.
He stated, “The contractors lament that they are owed for over 12 months without funding. Repairs on critical units were nearly complete before Ojulari assumed office, but since then, there has been little commitment to restarting production.”
Nkpe warned of the broader economic impact, noting that thousands of petroleum tanker drivers and marketers are out of work due to the refinery’s shutdown. He urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene and prioritize the refinery’s revival, cautioning that delays appear to be influenced by vested interests aiming to undermine the government’s agenda.
“The refinery is key to supplying petroleum products to cities like Aba, Enugu, and Makurdi, and its restart would stabilize fuel prices and reduce reliance on private operators,” Nkpe added.
Meanwhile, two northern advocacy groups have filed a lawsuit against NNPC’s Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Dapo Segun, accusing him of negligence in overseeing the failed rehabilitation of the nation’s refineries and the controversial acquisition of OVH Energy.
The Arewa Community for Empowerment and Development and the Arewa Consultative Youth Movement took the matter to the Federal High Court in Kaduna, demanding an investigation, prosecution, and the immediate suspension of Segun. They argue that Segun’s continued tenure undermines accountability, especially as former northern NNPC officials face legal scrutiny over similar issues.
Kabiru Yusuf, President of the Arewa Consultative Youth Movement, condemned what he called “selective justice” in the oil sector, stating, “If the EFCC can arrest former northern NNPC management staff, then Segun must also face the law. We cannot have two sets of rules, one for northerners and another for others.”
The suit, filed by counsel Ahmed Yusuf, seeks a court order compelling the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate Segun’s role in the OVH Energy acquisition and refinery rehabilitation projects. It demands that Segun step aside pending the outcome of investigations and accuses the EFCC of failing to fulfill its statutory duty by not probing him.
Nigeria’s refineries, located in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna, have long operated below capacity, despite a $1.5 billion rehabilitation plan announced in 2021. These refineries have yet to return to full production, compelling the country to rely heavily on imported petroleum products.
The acquisition of OVH Energy by NNPC in 2022, intended to strengthen its downstream operations, has also faced controversy and calls for transparency.
Efforts to obtain comments from NNPC on these issues were unsuccessful, as the corporation currently lacks a spokesperson and listed contact numbers were unreachable.
The mounting pressure from petroleum marketers and northern interest groups underscores growing frustration with the management of Nigeria’s oil infrastructure and calls for greater accountability in addressing long-standing challenges.
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