Don’t Sell Port Harcourt Refinery, Group Warns FG, NNPCL

Amid growing calls for the sale of the Port Harcourt refinery, a group known as the Network of Concerned Citizens (NCC) has appealed to the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to reject such proposals. In a statement issued by its secretary, Dr. David Kingleo Elijah, the group argued that selling the refinery would set the country back and undermine national interest. Instead, it urged the NNPCL to complete the ongoing rehabilitation and preserve the refinery for future generations.

The group emphasized that national assets should not be sold to benefit a select few at the expense of the nation. It warned that selling critical infrastructure like the refinery could jeopardize Nigeria’s strategic energy interests and increase vulnerability to exploitation by dominant private players. According to the NCC, handing over the energy sector to a few private firms could lead to monopolies and arbitrary pricing, ultimately harming consumers.

NCC further explained that reviving and operating the refinery would stabilize fuel prices and reduce reliance on private refineries, which do not guarantee energy security. They recommended that outstanding payments be made to contractors immediately so they can return to site and complete the rehabilitation. The group noted that during the refinery’s operational years, local economic activities flourished, jobs were created, and fuel prices remained competitive.

Recalling the shortcomings of past privatization efforts, including the sale of Eleme Petrochemicals and components of the former NEPA, the group stated that such moves rarely benefited the general public. Rather, they enriched a few while the country continued to struggle economically. The NCC concluded that considering the massive investments already made in the refinery, selling it at this stage would be wasteful and unjustifiable, especially given the lack of transparency often associated with asset sales.