The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has stated that it is waiting for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to reopen its portal before resuming the lifting of petroleum products from Warri Refinery.
The 125,000 barrels per day (bpd) refinery resumed operations about a month ago after undergoing years of rehabilitation. However, last week, NNPCL temporarily shut down the plant for routine maintenance, assuring that operations would resume soon.
Speaking in an interview, PETROAN President, Dr. Billy Gillis-Harris, confirmed that the association had an allocation to lift products from Warri Refinery and was only waiting for NNPCL to reopen its portal. He emphasized PETROAN’s readiness to continue lifting once the portal is accessible.
Similarly, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) President, Alhaji Maigandi Garima, noted that its members currently lift products from Dangote Petroleum Refinery through MRS in Warri and Calabar. He added that IPMAN members are also preparing to start lifting from Port Harcourt Refinery once NNPCL begins loading for marketers.
Meanwhile, NNPCL’s Chief Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, dismissed reports of an explosion at Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC), calling them “completely false.” He clarified that on January 25, 2025, operations at WRPC’s Area 1 were intentionally halted for maintenance on critical equipment affecting steady production.
Despite the temporary shutdown, NNPCL confirmed that Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) loading has continued at an average of eight trucks per day and assured stakeholders of a stable fuel supply. The company reaffirmed its commitment to uninterrupted product availability and assured that Area 1 operations would resume within days.