The Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has issued refining licenses to three companies for the construction of new refineries in Abia, Delta, and Edo states.
According to an official post by NMDPRA, the newly approved projects include:
- Eghudu Refinery Ltd – 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) refinery in Edo State.
- MB Refinery and Petrochemicals Company Ltd – 30,000 bpd refinery in Delta State.
- HIS Refining and Petrochemical Company Ltd – 10,000 bpd refinery in Abia State.
Upon completion, these refineries will collectively boost Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity by 140,000 bpd.
Presenting the licenses, NMDPRA’s Chief Executive, Engr. Farouk Ahmed, emphasized the importance of increasing local refining to reduce reliance on fuel imports.
Data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) shows that Nigeria currently has nine operational refineries, including the Dangote Refinery (650,000 bpd), Warri Refinery, Kaduna Refinery, and Port Harcourt Refinery, among others. These refineries have a combined refining capacity of 974,500 bpd, though many are not operating at full capacity.
To sustain full-scale operations, Nigeria’s nine refineries would require 770,500 barrels of crude per day and approximately 123.5 million barrels in the first half of 2025, according to NUPRC estimates.
