PETROAN denies lifting petrol from Port Harcourt refinery, contradicting earlier claims, raising concerns over refinery transparency and fuel distribution

Port Harcourt refinery petrol denial by the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria has sparked fresh questions about the transparency of fuel supply operations in the country.

Also read: Warri Refinery:  NNPC and the Triumph over Scepticism 

Four months after assuring Nigerians that its members had begun lifting Premium Motor Spirit from the NNPC-managed refinery, PETROAN now claims it never did.

The reversal came during a live television appearance by the association’s National President, Billy Gillis-Harry. He said that while members lifted diesel and kerosene from the Port Harcourt facility, petrol was never distributed commercially to them.

“For the products that we were lifting in NNPC, especially in Port Harcourt refinery, most of them were DPK and AGO,” he stated. “PMS was lifted by NNPC to NNPC trucks and stations… but we did not buy any commercial PMS from NNPC while the process of doing distribution from that depot was going on.”

His remarks directly contradicted PETROAN’s earlier statement issued in February by the association’s spokesman, Joseph Obele. At the time, Obele said members were lifting all major products—diesel, kerosene, and petrol—from the Port Harcourt refinery, which had recently resumed operations after a $1.5 billion overhaul.

The February statement read, “PETROAN members are now loading petroleum products, including DPK, AGO, and PMS,” adding that the revitalised refineries were contributing to price reductions and helping curb the spread of adulterated fuels.

The conflicting narratives have left many Nigerians questioning whether the Port Harcourt refinery was ever fully operational.

A report by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority in April noted that the refinery was running at 42 per cent capacity before it was shut down for maintenance in May.

Critics say PETROAN’s shifting position undermines public confidence, especially after months of speculation about the viability of the refineries.

Until recently, PETROAN was one of the most vocal supporters of the NNPC’s rehabilitation projects. Its apparent about-face has been linked by observers to changes in leadership at the state oil company, including the removal of Mele Kyari as Group Chief Executive Officer.

The revelation has reignited calls for the Federal Government to privatise the nation’s three refineries, located in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna.

Supporters of privatisation argue that government-run facilities have consistently failed to meet national demand, even after repeated investments.

While Gillis-Harry reaffirmed PETROAN’s commitment to supporting the success of NNPC’s turnaround maintenance, the association’s credibility has been brought into question.

Also read: Northern Nigeria set for Oil drilling restart as NNPC Chief promises progress

Nigerians now demand clearer communication, not just from PETROAN, but also from the government and NNPC, to ensure accountability and public trust in the petroleum sector.