The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has issued a stern ultimatum to the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, demanding the immediate rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery or his resignation.
The call comes amid growing frustration over the prolonged shutdown of the refinery, which has crippled local economies and disrupted fuel supply chains.
In a statement signed by IPMAN’s Eastern Zonal Secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Inimgba, the association expressed dismay at the stalled $1.5 billion rehabilitation project, labeling its management as “unprofessional.”
The refinery, shut down on May 24, 2025, for a scheduled 30-day maintenance, has remained inoperative for over 80 days with little to no progress.
Inimgba noted that credible sources indicate contractors have withdrawn from the site due to unpaid funds, and Ojulari has not visited the facility in the four months since assuming office.
The prolonged closure has led to significant economic fallout, including thousands of job losses among tanker drivers, members of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Petroleum Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) staff, IPMAN workers, and host community members.
“Reviving the Port Harcourt Refinery would create jobs, boost the local economy, enhance fuel supply and distribution, increase government revenue, and improve energy security,” Inimgba stated, emphasizing the refinery’s critical role in stabilizing fuel prices and reducing reliance on private refineries.
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) echoed IPMAN’s concerns, with its Eastern Zone Chairman, Sunny Nkpe, accusing Ojulari of neglecting the refinery’s revival.
Following a fact-finding visit to the site, Nkpe reported minimal activity, noting that contractors, owed payments for over a year, had nearly completed repairs on key units before Ojulari’s tenure.
“The lack of commitment from the GCEO suggests a lack of priority for the refinery’s revival, potentially enabling private refineries to dominate and inflate fuel prices,” Nkpe warned.
IPMAN reiterated its support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform agenda, vowing not to allow the GCEO’s inaction to undermine the president’s efforts.
“If Ojulari cannot demonstrate commitment to fixing the Port Harcourt Refinery, stakeholders and host communities will have no choice but to call for his replacement,” Inimgba declared.
The controversy follows Ojulari’s recent statement ruling out the sale of the Port Harcourt Refinery, despite earlier suggestions by NNPC officials that non-performing refineries might be privatized.
Ojulari, appointed GCEO in April 2025, faces mounting pressure as stakeholders, including two northern groups who have filed a lawsuit against NNPC’s Chief Financial Officer over alleged mismanagement, demand accountability.
As the nation grapples with energy security challenges, the spotlight remains on Ojulari to deliver on the refinery’s rehabilitation or face growing calls for his resignation.
Attempts to reach NNPC for comment were unsuccessful, as the company currently lacks a spokesperson.
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