Port Harcourt Refinery to Begin Loading Petroleum Products to Marketers This Week
PulseNets has learned that the Port Harcourt refinery will commence loading petroleum products to marketers and retailers this week. This was disclosed by the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN).
Speaking to PulseNets on Sunday, January 5, the association’s spokesperson, Joseph Obele, revealed that since the refinery began operations in November 2024, it has exclusively supplied fuel to retailers managed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Obele told PulseNets that marketers have been purchasing products imported by state-owned companies, even though they are loading fuel directly from the NNPCL. He also criticized the disparity in fuel prices, noting that retailers in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, are selling at N970 per litre, compared to the N899 per litre charged to consumers in Lagos.
“NNPC is still telling us to buy at a rate different from the rate they are selling to Lagos at the moment because of logistics. So, Port Harcourt retail outlet owners are not really comfortable with that. Hence, the Port Harcourt refinery will start servicing us this week,” Obele explained.
He further told PulseNets, “We are also requesting that the same rate NNPC is selling to our members at Lagos should be the rate they will be selling to us over here in Port Harcourt too. We are not really comfortable with that disparity.”
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Obele appealed to the leadership of the NNPCL to address the issue, urging them to either reduce fuel prices in Port Harcourt or ensure uniformity with the rates paid by Lagos consumers.
