Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke
Nigeria and other African countries will continue to be net importers of petroleum products despite the availability of functional and quasi-functional refineries, and plans to build more refineries on the continent, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Diezani Alison-Madueke, has said.
According to her, plans to build more refineries in Angola, Uganda, Mozambique and Nigeria cannot change the situation.
Alison-Madueke spoke at the eight edition of the Oil, Trading and Logistics (African Downstream) Expo held in Lagos on Tuesday.
“Notwithstanding the possibility of building new refineries in Africa, including new projects in Angola (Sonaref refinery); Uganda (Uganda oil refinery); Mozambique (Nacala refinery); and Nigeria, among others, Africa will remain a net importer of petroleum products for at least 20 years to come,” she said.
The minister, however, pointed out that Nigeria was already on the path to adding more capacity by 2020 through the proposed private refineries by the Dangote Group and Orient, and Bayelsa, Kogi, and Lagos states, among others.
Alison-Madueke, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Gas, Department of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Oliver Okparaojiakor, said sub-Saharan Africa was the least sophisticated refining centre in the world.
She said, “In fact, there are only 24fuels refineries within the region, with a total refining capacity of 1.6 million barrels per day for a population that is close to a billion. Population growth means more energy consumption.
“However, the uncompetitive and inefficient nature of many of these refineries, combined with the difficulty in funding major upgrades, or new capacity, seem likely to keep the average utilisation at a low level in the short term.
According to her, plans to build more refineries in Angola, Uganda, Mozambique and Nigeria cannot change the situation.
Alison-Madueke spoke at the eight edition of the Oil, Trading and Logistics (African Downstream) Expo held in Lagos on Tuesday.
“Notwithstanding the possibility of building new refineries in Africa, including new projects in Angola (Sonaref refinery); Uganda (Uganda oil refinery); Mozambique (Nacala refinery); and Nigeria, among others, Africa will remain a net importer of petroleum products for at least 20 years to come,” she said.
The minister, however, pointed out that Nigeria was already on the path to adding more capacity by 2020 through the proposed private refineries by the Dangote Group and Orient, and Bayelsa, Kogi, and Lagos states, among others.
Alison-Madueke, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Gas, Department of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Oliver Okparaojiakor, said sub-Saharan Africa was the least sophisticated refining centre in the world.
She said, “In fact, there are only 24fuels refineries within the region, with a total refining capacity of 1.6 million barrels per day for a population that is close to a billion. Population growth means more energy consumption.
“However, the uncompetitive and inefficient nature of many of these refineries, combined with the difficulty in funding major upgrades, or new capacity, seem likely to keep the average utilisation at a low level in the short term.
