NNPC LTD GCEO Mele Kyari Reaffirms Company’s Commitment To Supporting Local Refineries At NAPE 2024 Conference.

The Nigerian national petroleum company limited, NNPC has debunked statements in some sections of the media suggesting the company is working to frustrate efforts of local refineries in the country.

The group Chief executive officer of the NNPC Ltd, Mele Kyari gave the clarifications in Lagos Monday at the official opening of the 2024 annual conference of the Nigerian association of Petroleum explorationists NAPE holding at eko hotels between November, 10th-14th.

Kyari in his address while speaking specifically on the relationship between the NNPC and the Dangote refinery said the Nigerian national petroleum company couldn’t be working against the interest of a domestic refinery like the Dangote refinery for instance given the stake of the NNPC in the refinery.

While further debunking media reports on the supposed controversy between the NNPC and the Dangote refinery, Mele Kyari noted that the Dangote refinery with an initial capacity of 300,000 barrels of refining capacity per day, remains a critical and strategic assest to the entire downstream value chain that could not be undermined.

Speaking further On the naira for crude directive by President bola tinubu, the group CEO of the NNPC who also denied speculations that the company is equally working to frustrate the process, said the NNPC is no longer importing fuel but rather buying from the domestic market.

Kyari who also noted that the company remains committed to affordable and clean energy says efforts are currently ongoing with key partners to build mini electric plants that would make gas available to the domestic market to scale up power in the country

Acknowledging the hardship occassioned by the removal of fuel subsidy in 2023 by President bola tinubu, Mele Kyari said the president took a bold step in taking a decision that previous governments dreaded, and called on citizens to be patient with the policy on subsidy removal as the end result according to him will help ensure stability within the sector and guarantee product availability.

Earlier the Nigerian association of petroleum explorationists through it’s president, Shell, and representative of the Minister of petroleum, (gas) and other critical stakeholders in the oil and gas sector made presentations on the theme of the 2024 conference, “Resolving the Nigerian energy trilemma: energy security, sustainable growth and affordability”
Where they all acknowledged that there are challenges in the sector but agreed that the challenges are summountable with the right and appreciate policy frameworks.

A communique was later presented to the representative of the Minister of petroleum,(Gas) for onward delivery to government as parts of NAPE’s contribution to chatting a new roadmap for the oil and gas sector in Nigeria.