- The Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Resources Authority issued refining licences to three companies to build new refineries in Edo, Delta, and Abia States
- The proposed refineries have a combined 140,000 barrels per day refining capacity
- The new licences highlight the increasing number of refineries in Nigeria
The Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Resources Authority (NMDPRA) has issued refining licences to three companies to build new refineries in Edo, Delta, and Abia States.
NMPDPRA disclosed this in a post shared via its X page on Friday, March 7, stating that the three proposed refineries are expected to have a combined refining capacity of 140,000 barrels per day (bpd).
The post stated that the proposed refineries that have been issued licences 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; and HIS Refining and Petrochemical Company Ltd. in Abia State issued a license to establish a 10,000 bpd refinery.
“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 statement read.
Increasing number of refineries in Nigeria
Nigeria has nine operational refineries as of November 2024, according to data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
They 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.
The nine refineries in Nigeria have a combined refining capacity of 974,500 barrels per day, the largest being the Dangote Refinery with 650,000 bpd refining capacity.
Despite their potential, the majority of these refineries do not produce at full capacity.
The NUPRC disclosed that 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.
Nigeria tops list of African countries with highest number of refineries
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that Nigeria is the African leader in oil refining infrastructure, with nine refineries, more than any other nation on the continent.
Five nations, which include Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Angola, and Sudan, boast the highest number of oil refineries.
