The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has recently announced restrictions on the purchase of petrol from the Port Harcourt Refinery Company (PHRC) to its retail outlets. The oil giant stated that petroleum products from the refinery, including petrol, diesel, and kerosene, will be exclusively available at NNPCL-operated retail outlets.
The refinery, situated in Eleme, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, resumed production of products on Tuesday and has pledged to roll out at least 200 trucks daily. However, the NNPCL mentioned that bulk sales of its products have not commenced yet, and the purchase portal remains closed.
According to Olufemi Soneye, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPCL, the refinery’s products are currently being distributed to the company’s retail stores. Soneye also stated, “Our prices are regularly reviewed and adjusted as required.”
The announcement was made on the same day the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) raised concerns about the expensive pricing of petrol from the refinery. PETROAN indicated that petrol from the newly opened refinery is N75 per litre more expensive than that from Dangote Refinery.
Dr. Joseph Obele, the Public Relations Officer of PETROAN, highlighted the price difference, stating that NNPCL supplies petrol to marketers at N1,045 per litre, while Dangote Refinery sells the same product at N970 per litre. Obele emphasized the disparity and urged for a review of the pricing strategy.
