The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has closed down the Port Harcourt Refinery temporarily for safety repairs.
The shutdown was disclosed on Monday, May 20, 2025, when the management of the company held a media briefing. NNPC explained that the shutdown would allow for experts to carry out mandatory maintenance and technical adjustments on the facility.
The Port Harcourt refinery resumed operations recently after years of rehabilitation exercises. It was expected to boost Nigeria’s fuel supply and reduce dependence on imported petroleum products. NNPC, nevertheless, explained that the recent shutdown is a precautionary step to address some issues discovered during routine inspection.
We are doing this to ensure safe and reliable operations,” a senior NNPC official said. “The maintenance will be completed as soon as possible, and the refinery will return to full operation when it is safe.”.
The company declined to give the exact date for the reopening of the refinery but assured the public that it would not have any effect on fuel supply across the country. NNPC stated that it has enough stock at its depots and assured no shortage of fuel throughout the period of repair.
Industry experts have welcomed the move, saying safety must come first in refinery operations. They noted that restarting a complex plant like Port Harcourt requires continuous checks and technical monitoring.
The Rivers State refinery is among Nigeria’s largest refineries, with a refining capacity of around 210,000 barrels per day. Its full resumption of service will assist in underpinning the government’s fuel price stabilization and reduce import bills.
This shutdown is viewed as part of NNPC’s broader plans to enable Nigeria’s refineries to achieve international standards before full commercialization.
