Retailers to Begin Loading from Port Harcourt Refinery This Week – PETROAN
In a significant move, marketers and retailers of petroleum products are set to start lifting Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from the Port Harcourt Refining Company this week, barring any unforeseen changes to plans.
Joseph Obele, the Publicity Secretary of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), shared this update in an exclusive interview.
He revealed that since the refinery resumed operations in November, its fuel supply had been limited to retail outlets owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
However, marketers continue to source fuel from NNPCL, but Obele clarified that these products are imported.
Obele raised concerns about the price disparity between Port Harcourt and Lagos, with the latter’s fuel retailing at a lower price.
He highlighted that Port Harcourt retailers are forced to purchase petrol at N970 per litre, whereas Lagos retailers pay N899 per litre.
Obele called for equal pricing, urging that the refinery should offer the same price in Port Harcourt as in Lagos, especially given the direct supply from the refinery.
“We are requesting that the same rate NNPC is selling to our members in Lagos should be extended to us here in Port Harcourt as well. The price difference is just too high,” Obele stated.
Regarding the commencement of direct fuel purchases from the refinery, Obele confirmed that while marketers have not yet started buying directly from the Port Harcourt refinery, they will begin this week.
He further clarified that the trucks currently loading fuel are only for NNPCL retail outlets.
Obele emphasized that the fuel distributed in Lagos is still imported, even as the Port Harcourt refinery has resumed production.
The refinery’s capacity stands at 60,000 barrels per day, and NNPCL has promised that rehabilitation work on the larger, 150,000-barrel refinery will be completed soon.
Olufemi Soneye, a spokesperson for NNPC, confirmed that the refinery is currently producing naphtha, which is blended to create petrol.
With the refinery now operational, Port Harcourt retailers are optimistic about receiving fairer prices, hoping for a smoother distribution process that will benefit consumers across the region.
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