Oil marketers, represented by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), have issued a stern ultimatum to the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Bayo Ojulari, demanding the immediate rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery or his resignation.
In a statement released on Wednesday, IPMAN’s Eastern Zonal Secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Inimgba, expressed frustration over the prolonged delay in the refinery’s $1.5 billion rehabilitation project, which he described as being managed unprofessionally.
The refinery, shut down on May 24, 2025, for a scheduled 30-day maintenance, has remained inoperative for over 80 days with no significant progress, according to Inimgba.
The extended closure has caused widespread economic repercussions, including thousands of job losses among tanker drivers, members of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Petroleum Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) staff, IPMAN workers, and host community members.
Inimgba emphasized that reviving the refinery would create jobs, bolster the local economy, enhance fuel supply and distribution, increase government revenue, strengthen energy security, and improve living standards for local communities.
Inimgba further revealed that credible sources indicate contractors have withdrawn from the site due to unpaid funds, and Ojulari has not visited the refinery in the four months since assuming office. IPMAN reiterated its support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform agenda and warned that it would not tolerate actions that undermine the president’s efforts. “If the GCEO is unable to fix the Port Harcourt Refinery or demonstrate commitment to its rehabilitation, stakeholders and host communities will have no option but to call on President Tinubu to consider replacing him,” Inimgba stated.
In a related development, PETROAN’s Zonal Chairman for System 2E (Eastern Zone), Sunny Nkpe, echoed IPMAN’s concerns, accusing Ojulari of neglecting the refinery’s revival. Following a fact-finding visit to the site last weekend, Nkpe expressed alarm at the slow pace of work at the Old Port Harcourt Refinery (Area 5), noting that Ojulari has not visited the facility since taking office.
The calls for action come amid President Tinubu’s directive to reactivate the Warri and Kaduna refineries, signaling a broader push to revive Nigeria’s refining capacity.
