-By Saidu Abubakar
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, today, held its day at the ongoing 41st Kaduna International Trade Fair, attracting sizeable crowd eager to have an insight about the oil company’s operations. The day was marked by the traditional display of the Corporation’s products and operations of its various departments and subsidiaries.
The Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Malam Mele Kyari was ably represented at the occasion by the Managing Director of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, KRPC, Egnr. Ezekiel Osarolube, who was conducted round the Pavillion in company of the President of the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Hajiya (Dr) Muheeba Farida Dankaka alongside other dignitaries who cheerfully joined to observe the NNPC Day.
Earlier at the official opening of the Day, Egnr. Osarolube had read Mallam Kyari’s speech thus: “I wish to, especially, welcome you all to the NNPC Day at the 2020 edition of the Kaduna International Trade Fair.
“As usual, the corporation is happy to maintain its historic presence at this year’s Trade Fair reputed to be one of the largest and global in the country.
“Let me seize this opportunity to commend the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA) for organizing this yearly event in the past four decades. It is no mean feat to maintain the feat this long. Indeed, we appreciate the immense contribution you make to the national economy through your efforts,” Mele Kyari stated further.
He also noted that “I must also say that we are very excited by your chosen theme for this Trade Fair, “Unlocking Nigeria’s Economic Potentials through Regional Integration”, because it aligns with part of NNPC’s current focus – linking all the regions together with cost-effective energy to unleash their respective potentials for national economic growth.
“As you are aware, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is a state-owned oil corporation which operates in every segment of the oil and gas value chain from Exploration and Production to Refining and Petrochemicals, and from Gas Processing and Products Transportation to Marketing.
“Currently, the corporation is transforming from a traditional oil and gas entity into an integrated energy outfit with interest in power generation and transmission. The decision to diversify into the power sector is hinged on the need to bridge the huge energy gap in the Nigerian market. The corporation is also engaged in development of renewable energy to, overtime, create low-carbon economy and link the Oil and Gas Sector to the Agricultural Sector.”
According to the GMD, the Corporation also has business partnerships with many multi-national oil companies operating in Nigeria, stressing that “these ventures are being managed by the National Petroleum Investment Management Services on behalf of the Federal Government under the Joint Venture, (JV) and Production Sharing Contract, (PSC) models.”
Speaking on the topic ‘Facilitating National Economic Integration,’ Kyari stated that “Apart from our fiduciary responsibility to the government and peoples of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the NNPC stands out as the chief enabler of the Nigerian economy through intervention in critical sectors of the economy. This is the reason for the corporation’s pay-off line: We touch your lives in many positive ways”.
Additionally, Mallam Kyari pointed out that “To sustain this role, NNPC’s approach, through the years, is to ensure value addition by increasing competitiveness in the global marketplace.
“For instance, our ability to guarantee seamless nationwide supply and distribution of petroleum products has been enhanced with the introduction of some strategies aimed at boosting the operational efficiency of our Downstream entities, namely the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), the Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company (NPSC), NNPC Retail and NNPC Shipping, among others. Among the strategies are the recently Launched Operation White by the corporation aimed to ensuring transparency in the distribution of white products across the Country.
“The result is a sanitized fuel supply and distribution network which has thus far banished the ugly episodes of petroleum products scarcity and snaky fuel queues across the country.
“With a reliable fuel supply system emplaced, commuters, businesses, transporters and other stakeholders can now engage in fruitful commercial endeavours without the perennial monster of fuel scarcity, which, in no small way, shows how the corporation enables business activities in the country.
“The same enablement by the corporation exists in the area of gas supply to industries. It is in this regard that we are doing everything possible to extend gas supply to this part of the country through the construction of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline”.
On the construction work on the AKK Pipeline which is designed to move gas to power industries in the Northern corridor, billed to commence in the second quarter of this year, he said that “Upon completion, we envisage that the AKK project would get gas, a cheaper and more environment-friendly fuel, to power most of the moribund textile companies here in Kaduna and Kano, thereby reviving them and creating job opportunities for our teeming youth.
“I would like to seize this opportunity to introduce to you our latest products – the Nitro and Rhino ranges of engine oils. The Nitro range of engine oil is for petrol-fired engines while the Rhino range is for diesel-fired engines. They are specially blended to enhance the performance of your engines and give them long life.
Kyari urged all to feel free to stop by at the NNPC Pavilion to have a feel of the Corporation’s range of products and services.
“I appreciate the Chamber for the wonderful exposure it has offered NNPC year-after-year which has, in no small way, assisted our numerous clientele to have a better understanding of our successes and challenges, even as we are committed to improving our efficiency as a National Oil Company”, the GMD enthused.