The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has announced that the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) will be shut down for scheduled maintenance starting Saturday, May 24, 2025.
In a statement issued on Saturday by Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Femi Soneye, the company explained that the shutdown is part of a planned maintenance and sustainability assessment to ensure the refinery operates at optimal performance levels.
“The maintenance is essential to maintain optimal refinery output and efficiency,” Soneye noted. He added that the process will be carried out in collaboration with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and other key stakeholders to ensure transparency and efficiency throughout.
This latest shutdown comes less than a year after the PHRC was briefly paused in December 2024, just months after resuming operations following a $1.5 billion rehabilitation project. The rehabilitation was aimed at restoring the refinery’s capacity to boost domestic refining and reduce Nigeria’s dependency on imported petroleum products.
Despite public concern over the timing and possible implications for fuel supply, NNPC has assured Nigerians that energy security will not be compromised. “We remain committed to delivering sustainable energy solutions to meet the nation’s needs,” the company stated.
The Port Harcourt refinery is one of Nigeria’s oldest and most strategic petroleum facilities. Its performance has long been seen as a barometer for the government’s efforts to reform and stabilize the oil and gas sector, especially amid ongoing discourse on subsidy removal and the need to strengthen local refining capacity.
