The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has granted a license for the establishment of a new refinery through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
MRO Energy Limited, an energy firm, received the license to build a refinery with a capacity of 10,000 barrels per stream day in Imode, Ughelli, Delta State.
In a statement posted on its official X account on Tuesday, NMDPRA confirmed the development.
The Authority Chief Executive, Engr. Farouk Ahmed, personally presented the license to MRO Energy Limited, emphasizing the government’s commitment to boosting local refining capacity.
This announcement comes two months after the issuance of a similar license to Process Design and Development Limited for a 27,000 BPSD refinery in Dole-Wure, Akko, Gombe State.
The addition of the Delta State refinery brings Nigeria’s total number of modular and conventional refineries to approximately 11.
These developments align with the government’s broader objectives to reduce reliance on imported petroleum products and enhance domestic refining capabilities.
Earlier this month, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria also announced plans to establish a new refinery with an initial capacity of 50,000 barrels per day.
Despite these advancements, a significant number of Nigeria’s refineries remain either inactive or underperforming.
Addressing these inefficiencies is critical to meeting the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission’s ambitious target of refining 770,500 barrels of oil per day domestically.
The establishment of the new refinery in Ughelli is expected to create jobs, stimulate local economic growth, and strengthen Nigeria’s energy security.
