The Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has granted refining licences to three companies to establish new refineries in Edo, Delta, and Abia states. These refineries are set to boost Nigeria’s refining capacity by a total of 140,000 barrels per day.
In an announcement shared on its official X page, the NMDPRA detailed the approvals, specifying that Eghudu Refinery Ltd in Edo State has received a licence to construct a 100,000 bpd refinery. Similarly, MB Refinery and Petrochemicals Company Ltd in Delta State has been authorised to build a 30,000 bpd facility, while HIS Refining and Petrochemical Company Ltd in Abia State has been granted a licence for a 10,000 bpd refinery.
Presenting the licences to the managing directors of the respective companies, NMDPRA’s Authority Chief Executive, Engr. Farouk Ahmed, emphasised that these developments would contribute significantly to Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity.
Currently, data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) indicates that Nigeria has nine operational refineries. Among them are the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE, Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company, Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company, and the Port Harcourt Refinery Company Limited. Others include Aradel Refinery, OPAC Refineries, Waltersmith Refinery and Petrochemical Company, Duport Midstream Company Limited, and Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Company.
Together, these refineries have a combined refining capacity of 974,500 barrels per day, with the Dangote refinery alone accounting for 650,000 bpd. However, many of these facilities are not currently operating at full capacity. According to NUPRC projections, the nine refineries would require a combined crude supply of 770,500 bpd and a total of 123,480,500 barrels in the first half of 2025.
With the addition of newly licensed and upcoming refineries, Nigeria’s refining sector is expected to expand, reducing the country’s reliance on imported petroleum products.
