29th November, 2024
The Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) has not started bulk sales of petroleum products or opened its purchase portal as critical processes are still being finalized, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) clarified on Friday.
In a statement, Mr. Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer at NNPC Ltd., emphasized that official announcements regarding product pricing adjustments would be communicated when necessary.
“Currently, the products we are selling originate from the Dangote Refinery, and include all applicable Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) fees,” Soneye stated.
The PHRC, which has a refining capacity of 60,000 barrels per day, began distributing petroleum products via truck-out earlier this week following its rehabilitation. However, the products remain limited to NNPC’s retail outlets at this stage.
This development has raised operational concerns among petroleum marketers and Nigerians, particularly regarding the refinery’s pricing structure. The Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) confirmed that no new pricing template has been released by the refinery.
“We are still purchasing premium motor spirit (PMS) under the old pricing template while awaiting updated prices,” PETROAN said.
NNPC assured the public that pricing reviews are periodically adjusted to reflect operational realities. “We advise the public to disregard any misleading information regarding pricing,” Soneye added.