The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has urged the Federal Government to leverage homegrown technology to address the refining challenges in Nigeria’s petroleum industry.
In an interview with NAN on Tuesday, Mr. Chinedu Anyaso, the Chairman of IPMAN’s Enugu Depot Community overseeing Anambra, Ebonyi, and Enugu States, expressed his commendation for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s successful constitution of his cabinet.
He voiced optimism that the newly appointed ministers would contribute significant value and guidance to the administration.
Of note, Anyaso extended his special congratulations to Mr. Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Petroleum, and encouraged him to draw upon his experience in the petroleum sector and his familiarity with the Niger Delta region to enhance the downstream segment.
The IPMAN representative emphasized that a sustainable resolution to the nation’s energy challenges lies in domestic petroleum product production.
He emphasized the necessity for the Federal Government to engage in constructive dialogue with operators of illegal refineries, aiming to harness their technological expertise and integrate their activities.
His words,
- “I expect that part of the Federal Government’s immediate plan is to get our local refineries working through the fixing of the four existing refineries and encouraging the establishment of modular refineries.
- “The new Minister of State for Petroleum who is from the Niger Delta should encourage the government to bring operators of the illegal refineries in the creeks to the national grid.
- “Instead of chasing them and destroying their infrastructure, the government should call them to be part of the solution, at least in the short term while we wait for the main refineries to resume operations. This will reduce the pressure on foreign exchange,”
Alternative energy sources
Observing the current unsustainable state of the downstream sector, Anyaso underscored the exacerbating impact of insufficient refining capacity.
He pressed for the Federal Government to heed IPMAN’s proposal for the utilization of their Compressed Natural Gas network to expedite the energy transition.
He called for the immediate establishment of extensive conversion plants across all 36 states, enabling vehicle and generator users to transition to gas-powered engines.