-By Gideon Osaka
Amidst calls by stakeholders and Nigerians to fix Nigeria’s ailing refineries for optimum productivity, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mallam Mele Kyari has pledged the corporation’s commitment to terminate fuel importation
He lamented the continued importation of petroleum products into the country, adding that the NNPC has assets worth over $20 billion and if properly utilized, the country has opportunities it can explore in order to produce more petroleum products.
Kyari made this known at the just concluded Nigeria International Petroleum Summit 2020 in Abuja. Accordingly,
“We have assets that are in excess of $20bn. We have opportunities that we share with our partners,” Kyari declared while describing NNPC as the largest corporation in Africa.
He added that “This country can provide energy for the whole of Africa. As we all know, 90 per cent of the petroleum products consumed in Africa are imported, and that must stop. And to do this, Nigeria must work. Our refineries must come back, and that is what we are doing.”
He had earlier explained how the NNPC is working hard to end petroleum products importation in the country by 2023 by reversing the trend of petroleum products importation as he intends to ensure that all the four refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna are rehabilitated.
The NNPC boss also pledged NNPC efforts to the speedy completion of the Dangote refinery and also fast track the establishment of more private refineries in the country.
“We must end the trend of fuel importation as an oil producing country,” Mr Kyari said shortly after taking over the instrument of office as the GMD of NNPC.
“We will deliver on the rehabilitation of the four refineries within the life of this administration and support the private sector to build refineries.
“We will support the Dangote refinery to come on stream on schedule. We will transform Nigeria into a net exporter of petroleum products by 2023.” He explained.
Speaking further, Kyari stated that the NNPC will vigorously focus on the Federal Government’s target of raising crude oil production and reserves to three million barrels per day and 40 billion barrels respectively by 2023.
Since assumption of office last year, Kyari emphasized the need for transparency in the Corporation, while committing to ensure that corruption has no place in the operations of the NNPC, while pledging to work with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC)
“We are going to work with the EFCC to remove every element of discretion from our processes because discretion is one of the greatest enablers of corruption.
“NNPC will not be opaque. We will be open and transparent to all so that at the end of the day, everyone will be in a position to assess us and say what we have done right or wrong,” he said.
“We will do this job with integrity. We’ll never put personal interest above that of the nation or the corporation. I am conscious of the fact that ultimately, I will be accountable to God on every one of my actions.” Kyari said on his vision for the corporation.