Energy: Nigeria to start exporting petroleum products by December 2024 ─NNPCL GCEO

*Mele Kyari, Group GCEO of NNPC Limited, reassures Nigerian energy consumers that as the Port Harcourt resumes oil production early August 2024, the West African country will become a net exporter of petroleum products by December this year

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

As part of ongoing measures to ensure availability and affordability of petroleum products for energy consumers while strengthening the Nigerian economy, Malam Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, has expressed optimism that Nigeria will be a net exporter of petroleum by the end of 2024.

ConsumerConnect reports Kyari stated this Monday, July 15, 2024, during a meeting with the West African country’s Senate Committee on Finance, in the National Assembly  (NASS), Abuja, FCT.

He told the Senate Committee, chaired by Senator Sani Musa, that based on emerging indicators in the downstream petroleum sector of the economy, the Port Harcourt Refinery which would start production early August 2024, which would be followed by the Warri Refinery months after, and the Kaduna Refinery latest by December this year.

The GCEO of NNPC Limited reassured Nigerian energy consumers, that the Port Harcourt Refinery would resume oil production by early August 2024, while that of Kaduna would commence by December this year.

Kyari, who had earlier announced a number of dates for the Port Harcourt Refinery to commence operations, again, maintained that “he is not lying” in respect of the new August date for commencement of operations.

According to him, with the Dangote Refinery, the target for Nigeria to attain two million barrels per day and become net exporter of petroleum products by December is feasible.

The oil production level for the country, in a few months’ time, will hit 2 million barrels per day as all enablement towards that has already been put in place, Kyari told the lawmakers.

He further stated: “Mr. Chairman and members of the Joint Committee, let me just confirm that NNPCL and the oil and gas industry are very critical to bringing a turnaround in our current economic situation.

“We understand the importance of this. We are taking every step that is practical for us to achieve this.”

He also explained: “We have already seen growth in our oil and gas production because of certain actions that Mr. President personally took, and also the very mere truth that we have also declared war on production activities, and this is yielding the required results.

“The combination of these two has now seen us restoring production in our country, and we believe that, as the Honourable Minister has said, we will soon hit the target of 2 million barrels of oil production per day.”

Kyari further noted: “I’m aware that there are several comments in the public space around refining business and domestic production, including production that will come from the commissioned Dangote Refinery.

“Yes, this country, as we have said, will be a net exporter of petroleum products by the end of this year.”

He stated: “We’re very optimistic that by December, this country will be a net exporter.

“That means a combination of production coming from us, and also from Dangote Refinery, and other smaller producing companies that we know are in line to do this.”

The NNPCL Chief asserted: “So, I can confirm to you, Mr. Chairman, that by the end of the year, this country will be a net exporter of petroleum products.

“Specific to NNPC refinery. We have spoken to a number of your committees, and it is impossible to have the Kaduna Refinery come into operation before December, it will get to December.

“Both Warri and Kaduna but that of Port-Harcourt, will commence production early August this year.”

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