The Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil ) Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has restated the federal government’s commitment to bring back on-stream the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) Ltd by December.
The assurance was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited Garba Deen Muhammad.
The Minister was on an inspection tour of the rehabilitation work progress at the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) Ltd. plant, in Port Harcourt on Friday.
According to the statement, Lokpobiri said efforts are being redoubled to restore the nation’s local refining capacity as part of the government’s commitment to ending petroleum product importation.
The Minister expressed satisfaction with the ongoing rehabilitation work at the Port Harcourt refinery, noting that Nigerians will enjoy a better supply of petroleum products once all the refineries are back on stream.
“Our objective in coming here today is to ensure that in the next few years, Nigeria stops fuel importation. From what we have seen here today, Port Harcourt Refinery will come on board by the end of the year.
“Warri will come on stream by the end of the first quarter of next year, and Kaduna will also come on board towards the end of next year. If you add that to the Dangote Refinery, we will be able to stop fuel importation, and Nigerians will enjoy the full benefits of deregulation,” he said.
