Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), has emphasized the pivotal roles of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) under Mele Kyari, and Dangote Industries Limited led by Aliko Dangote in advancing Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector.
Addressing Petroleum Engineering students from Nigeria’s North-Central region during a recent courtesy visit, Ugochinyere highlighted the significant contributions of these entities.
He noted that NMDPRA’s regulatory oversight ensures technical and commercial compliance within midstream and downstream operations, fostering sustainable growth and fair product pricing.
Ugochinyere praised NNPCL’s leadership under Mele Kyari for transforming the national oil company into a competitive and profitable entity.
He commended Kyari’s commitment to ending fuel importation, supporting local refineries with crude supply, and investing in domestic refining capacities.
The lawmaker also lauded Aliko Dangote’s contributions, particularly the establishment of the Dangote Refinery, inaugurated in May 2023.
As the world’s largest single-train refinery, it has a processing capacity of 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
Since September 2024, the refinery has been producing petrol, initially supplying 25 million liters per day, with plans to increase output to 35 million liters daily.
Ugochinyere emphasized that the combined efforts of NMDPRA, NNPCL, and Dangote Refinery are already yielding positive results.
He cited acknowledgments from the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, which attributed recent reductions in petrol pump prices to the competitive dynamics introduced by these refineries.
He encouraged the visiting students to focus on their studies and acquire relevant skills to make meaningful contributions to the petroleum sector upon graduation.
He urged them to learn from industry leaders and support ongoing efforts to enhance the sector’s efficiency and sustainability.
