KEY POINTS
- NNPC has hired U.S.-based Honeywell UOP to conduct a technical assessment of the Port Harcourt refinery as part of plans to attract investment.
- PETROAN backs the move, urging transparency and the adoption of a Technical and Equity partnership model similar to Nigeria’s NLNG plant.
- The refinery’s revival is seen as a key test of Tinubu’s energy reform agenda and Nigeria’s ability to lure credible foreign partners.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC, Limited has tapped U.S. energy technology giant Honeywell UOP to carry out a detailed evaluation of the long-idle Port Harcourt refinery, a step industry players see as crucial to drawing fresh investment into the asset.
The arrangement was disclosed by the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) in a Sunday statement signed by its publicity secretary, Joseph Obele.
PETROAN praised the decision as a move that could set the tone for a credible revival process.
Honeywell UOP, based in Illinois, has a century-long track record in petroleum refining, gas processing and petrochemicals. The company has been involved in over 3,000 process units worldwide, making it one of the most experienced firms in refinery rehabilitation projects.
Refinery Revival Seen as Test of Tinubu’s Energy Reform Drive
PETROAN welcomed the choice of Honeywell UOP, arguing that an independent technical assessment will provide a realistic basis for potential investors under NNPC’s preferred Technical and Equity (T&E) partnership model. The group called for “speed, transparency and zero political interference” in the process.
Billy Gillis-Harry, PETROAN’s national president, drew parallels with the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) model at Bonny Island, which blends technical expertise with equity partnerships from major international players.
He argued that applying the same framework to Port Harcourt could restore efficiency, keep fuel prices competitive and protect the downstream sector from monopoly.
“The operationalisation of the refinery will serve as a price-check mechanism, promoting fairness for host communities, retailers and end-users,” Gillis-Harry said.
NNPC’s Port Harcourt complex—Nigeria’s oldest state-owned refinery—has been shut for years despite several rehabilitation announcements. Its revival has become a litmus test for President Bola Tinubu’s broader energy sector reforms, which include deregulating the downstream market and attracting foreign capital.
