The Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Resources Authority has issued refining licenses to three companies to build new refineries in Abia, Delta, and Edo States.
The three proposed refineries are expected to have a combined refining capacity of 140,000 barrels per day.
According to an X post by the NMDPRA on its official page, the proposed refineries that have issued licenses include:
- Eghudu Refinery Ltd in Edo state issued a 100,000 bpd refining license.
- MB Refinery and Petrochemicals Company Ltd in Delta State issued a License to establish a 30,000 bpd refinery.
- HIS Refining and Petrochemical Company Ltd. in Abia state issued a license to establish a 10,000 bpd refinery.
The statement read: “The Authority Chief Executive, Engr. Farouk Ahmed presented a License to construct a 100,000 bpd refinery to Eghudu Refinery Ltd in Edo state, a License to establish a 30,000 bpd refinery to MB Refinery and Petrochemicals Company Ltd in Delta state, and a License to establish a 10,000 bpd refinery to HIS Refining and Petrochemical Company Ltd. in Abia state.
“These Licenses, which would add 140,000 barrels per day to Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity, were presented to the MDs of the companies.”
The growing number of refineries in Nigeria
According to data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Nigeria has nine operational refineries, which include the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE, the Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company, the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company, and the Port Harcourt Refinery Company Limited.
Others are the Aradel Refinery, OPAC Refineries, Waltersmith Refinery and Petrochemical Company, Duport Midstream Company Limited, and the Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Company.
These refineries have a combined refining capacity of 974,500 barrels per day, with the Dangote refinery having the largest capacity of 650,000 bpd. However, the majority of the refineries are not producing at full capacity.
According to the NUPRC, the nine refineries would require a combined daily crude supply of 770,500 bpd and 123,480,500 barrels in the first half of 2025.
This number is growing with more new refineries under construction and licensed by the NMDPRA.
What you should know
- Nairametrics reported that in January, the NMDPRA issued a license for the construction of a 10,000 bpd refinery in the Ughelli area of Delta State to MRO Energy Limited.
- The growing number of refineries has positioned Nigeria as a major refining hub in Africa.
- However, local refineries told Nairametrics that they struggle to secure crude locally despite assurances given by the Federal Government.
