Marketers and retailers of petroleum products will begin lifting Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from the Port Harcourt Refining Company this week, according to the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN).
The association’s Publicity Secretary, Joseph Obele, shared this update in an exclusive interview, highlighting a pivotal step toward addressing regional fuel distribution challenges.
The Port Harcourt refinery, which resumed operations in November 2024, has primarily supplied fuel to retail outlets owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Obele revealed that while marketers continue to source imported PMS from NNPCL, logistical challenges have led to pricing disparities that retailers in Port Harcourt find concerning.
Obele expressed discontent over the price of PMS in Port Harcourt, where it is sold at ₦970 per litre, compared to ₦899 per litre in Lagos. He attributed the difference to logistics costs and called on the NNPCL to harmonize prices now that the Port Harcourt refinery is operational.
“NNPCL is still telling us to buy at a rate different from what they are offering in Lagos. Since the Port Harcourt refinery will start servicing us directly this week, we request that they sell at the same rate as Lagos to ensure fairness,” Obele stated.
When asked whether marketers in Port Harcourt have begun purchasing directly from the refinery, Obele clarified that direct loading would commence this week. He noted that, until now, trucks loading fuel from the refinery have been exclusively for NNPCL’s retail outlets.
The Port Harcourt refinery, with a 60,000 barrels-per-day capacity, began limited operations in November. According to NNPCL, rehabilitation of the newer refinery section, which boasts a capacity of 150,000 barrels per day, is nearing completion.
NNPCL spokesman Olufemi Soneye confirmed that the refinery currently produces naphtha, which is blended to create petrol. This milestone marks significant progress in Nigeria’s efforts to reduce dependence on imported fuel and optimize its domestic refining capacity.
Obele emphasized the need for uniform pricing across regions, arguing that direct fuel supply from the refinery should eliminate the current price disparity. “Now that stock is available locally, the NNPCL should sell at the same rate nationwide,” he urged.
