The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority has granted an operational licence to Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited, located in Ologbo within the Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.
The NMDPRA serves as the technical and commercial regulator overseeing midstream and downstream activities in the petroleum sector.
The issuance of this operational licence represents the final approval stage from the regulatory body, signifying that the refinery is now authorized to commence full operations.
During a ceremony held on Tuesday, the authority’s Chief Executive Officer, Ahmed Farouk, presented the certificate to AIPCC, the parent organization of Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited.
Accompanied by Francis Ogaree, the Executive Director of NMDPRA responsible for Hydrocarbon Processing Plant Installation and Transport Infrastructure, Farouk officially handed the operational licence to Segun Okeni, the Head of Technical Operations at the refinery.
In his remarks during the handover, Farouk praised the company for this significant achievement and encouraged them to continue their efforts.
Okeni expressed to the refinery management that the regulatory authority serves as a facilitator for business and is prepared to extend comprehensive support to AIPCC Energy/Edo Refinery in all its initiatives.
In his capacity as the Head of Technical Operations at Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited, Okeni articulated the company’s commitment to contributing to the petroleum refining and gas processing sectors.
He noted that AIPCC is currently advancing three additional projects, with one expected to reach completion within the next year.
Following the ceremony, Okeni issued a statement indicating that the operational license represents the final phase of approval from the regulatory authority, signifying that the plant is now authorized to function fully as a refinery.
He elaborated, “The process begins with the License to Establish, followed by the License to Construct, Approval to introduce Hydrocarbon, pre-commissioning and commissioning, and operating the refinery for a period to ensure its functionality, culminating in the License to Operate (LTO).”
Okeni also mentioned that the refinery is in the process of finalizing an agreement with a local oil company to secure crude oil for optimal production levels.
He stated, “We are in the final stages of negotiating a significant crude supply agreement with a local oil company. The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and NMDPRA have been supportive, and once we identify a crude source, they typically provide us with expedited approval.
Nevertheless, with this licensing, NUPRC should take into account the participation of existing local refineries in the bidding process for marginal fields.”
