Petroleum retailers in Rivers State have expressed disappointment that the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mr Bayo Ojulari, failed to visit the Port Harcourt refinery during his recent trip to Bonny in the same state.
The retailers, operating under the Host Communities Bulk Retailers Association of Port Harcourt Refinery, said in a statement on Tuesday that they were shocked by the GCEO’s decision. According to them, his visit to the Nigeria LNG facility in Bonny while ignoring the Port Harcourt refinery was “a slap in the face to the workers and management of the refinery” and a sign of disregard for its contribution to the Nigerian economy.
They argued that while NLNG remains a key national asset, the Port Harcourt refinery is equally vital to Nigeria’s refining capacity and deserved recognition. “A visit would have boosted the morale of the rehabilitation team and contractors working tirelessly to restore the refinery to optimal capacity,” the group said. They added that Ojulari’s refusal to visit suggested “a lack of interest in the functionality of the plant, which is alarming.”
The retailers urged him to revisit his schedule and pay a courtesy visit to the refinery to better understand its operations and challenges.
Last week, the Eastern Zonal Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mr Emmanuel Inimgba, also criticised Ojulari over the prolonged shutdown of the refinery. He stated that the plant was closed on May 24, 2025, for a 30-day scheduled maintenance, but more than 80 days had passed without progress. According to him, the delay has caused massive job losses, affecting tanker drivers, marketers, and host communities.
He claimed that contractors had withdrawn from the site due to lack of funds and said Ojulari had not visited the refinery in the past four months. “Fixing the refinery would create jobs, boost the local economy, improve fuel distribution, increase government revenue, and enhance energy security. If the GCEO cannot show commitment, President Bola Tinubu should consider replacing him,” Inimgba declared.
The NNPC has remained silent on the matter. The company has been without an official spokesperson since Mr Olufemi Soneye resigned in June. Attempts by journalists to obtain a response through the company’s website and social media channels have gone unanswered.
Meanwhile, the state-owned oil giant recently ruled out the sale of the Port Harcourt refinery, promising instead to complete its rehabilitation. However, reports suggest that some workers at the Warri refinery have not been paid for four months. The President of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, Mr Williams Akporeha, declined to comment when contacted by journalists.
This development adds to concerns about the challenges facing Nigeria’s refinery rehabilitation projects, which have long been marred by delays, underfunding, and poor oversight.
