NMDPRA CEO: In one year, 47 licences were issued to build local refineries

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) says the agency has issued 47 licences to establish (LTE) refineries across the country.

Farouk Ahmed, chief executive officer (CEO) of NMDPRA, spoke during a press briefing organised by the presidential communications team (PTC) at the State House in Abuja on Tuesday.

“We have issued 47 licences to establish covering 1.75 million bpd,” he said. 

The NMDPRA CEO added that the agency also issued 30 licences to construct (LTC).

Ahmed said the 47 LTE and the 30 LTC (1.23 million bpd) have a combined refining capacity of about three million barrels per day (bpd).

In Nigeria, he said 10 refineries have the capacity to refine petroleum products, measuring 1.12 million bpd, including Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Aradel Holdings.

“Six licensed private refineries and four public ones are producing a total of 1.12 million bpd,” he said. 

Speaking further, Ahmed said five private refineries have LTCs, including Dangote refinery, AIPCC Energy Limited, and Duport Midstream Company Limited.

Ahmed said refineries with LTO include Aradel (11,000 bpd capacity), OPAC refinery (10,000 bpd), Waltersmith refinery (5,000 bpd), and Edo Refining and Petrochemicals Company Limited (1,000 bpd).

The NMDPRA boss said public refineries, managed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, all have LTO.

He listed the refineries as Port Harcourt refinery (new and old plants) with 150,000 bpd and 60,000 bpd capacities, respectively; Warri refinery with 125,000 bpd; and Kaduna refinery (110,000 bpd).

Ahmed added that there are ongoing efforts aimed at expanding domestic refining capacity to further support economic growth through job creation and energy security.