Port Harcourt refinery update expected by October 2

Maire Tecnimont SpA, the contractor overseeing the Port Harcourt refinery rehabilitation, has promised to provide an update on the project’s completion date by October 2.

This assurance was conveyed through a letter from Olajide Oyewole LLP, the company’s legal representatives, in response to inquiries from Femi Falana, the popular human rights lawyer.

Falana had requested clarification on the project’s timeline. In the letter, Olajide Oyewole LLP stated, “Our client is considering your letters and they intend to get back to you on or before 2 October 2024.”

The $1.5 billion engineering procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the rehabilitation of the refinery was signed between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Tecnimont on April 6, 2021. The project, initially scheduled for completion in phases of 18, 24, and 44 months, has faced several delays.

Despite the NNPC’s announcement in December 2023 that the mechanical phase of the rehabilitation was completed, the refinery has yet to commence production. Earlier deadlines set for March and August 2024 were missed. Adedapo Segun, NNPC’s executive vice-president of downstream, recently emphasized that safety remains a priority, stating, “If NNPC discovers a situation that will affect the safe operation of the refinery, the national oil company cannot proceed with production just because a date has been given.”