President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday night congratulated the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) on the successful revitalisation of the Port Harcourt Refinery.
The refinery commenced petroleum product loading on Tuesday after several missed deadlines.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the president acknowledged the pivotal role of his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari in initiating the comprehensive rehabilitation of all the nation’s refineries.
Tinubu thanked the African Export-Import Bank for financing the project and commended the leadership of NNPCL’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Melee Kyari.
He urged NNPCL to expedite the reactivation of the second Port Harcourt refinery and the Warri and Kaduna refineries.
The president said: “These efforts will significantly enhance domestic production capacity, complemented by privately-owned refineries, and establish Nigeria as a major energy hub. The gas sector will also receive unprecedented attention from the administration.”
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to repairing the nation’s refineries to eradicate the perception that Nigeria, a major crude oil producer, lacks refining capabilities for domestic consumption.