Owners of petroleum retail outlets under the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) have formally demanded a clear and actionable timeline from the federal government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) for the revival of the nation’s dormant government refineries. The demand was issued in Abuja on January 21, 2026, amid frustration over repeated delays in bringing the facilities back online.
PETROAN officials said marketers and consumers alike need to understand when the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries, which collectively have a combined design capacity of approximately 445,000 barrels per day will begin regular operations, pointing out that more than $4 billion has already been spent on their rehabilitation with limited visible results.
Industry stakeholders emphasised that a definite, measurable timeline with clear milestones is essential for planning, investment decisions, and public confidence. They noted that refinery operations have remained largely non-functional despite ongoing assessments and partial appraisals, and argued that credible schedules for project completion should accompany any official announcements.
Market players warned that failure to provide a definitive timeline undermines efforts to reduce Nigeria’s heavy reliance on imported petroleum products, a situation that contributes to foreign exchange pressure, higher domestic fuel costs, and lost opportunities for direct and indirect job creation within the petroleum value chain.
PETROAN said it remains willing to support federal efforts, including collaboration with international technical partners, but stressed that transparent timelines are necessary to align public expectations with project realities, especially as Nigeria heads into another election year.
