Port Harcourt Refinery Shutdown Enters Second Month

Port Harcourt refinery shutdown enters second month without progress.
EFCC probes alleged $7.2bn fraud in refinery rehabilitation projects.
Oil marketers protest diesel price hike at the Port Harcourt facility.

The shutdown of the Port Harcourt Refining Company for maintenance has entered its second month, with no sign of resumption. Despite the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) initially announcing a one-month maintenance closure in May 2025, the refinery remains inactive.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that efforts to contact NNPC officials for updates were unsuccessful, as the company currently has no designated spokesperson. The shutdown has raised further concerns, as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is now investigating the $1.5 billion allocated for the refinery’s turnaround maintenance.

Sources confirmed that the EFCC has arrested Umar Isa, a former Chief Financial Officer of NNPC, in connection with an alleged $7.2 billion fraud tied to the rehabilitation of the Kaduna, Warri, and Port Harcourt refineries. Several other top officials, including former managing directors of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, are reportedly under investigation.

The Port Harcourt refinery, declared operational in November 2024 by former NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari, had only operated briefly before being shut down again. It was initially announced that the refinery would produce diesel, low-pour fuel oil, and straight-run gasoline, with the potential of releasing 200 trucks of petrol daily.

However, following the shutdown, local petroleum marketers have expressed frustration over the rising diesel prices, claiming that the refinery increased the price from N930 to N1,130 per litre within one week. Marketers protested at the facility, demanding the NNPC load their products based on their initial payment rates or refund their money.