Nigeria’s state oil company, NNPC Limited, has said that it is promoting removal of bottlenecks in the sector to drive self-sufficiency on the continent.
The company’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, made the disclosure while addressing a regional energy event in the country’s capital, Abuja.
He said NNPC is working on multiple fronts to position the continent as a competitive and independent hub for refining petroleum products.
“NNPC Limited stands ready to co create, co invest, and co lead in building an African refining ecosystem that is inclusive, resilient, and globally competitive,” Ojulari said.
In addition, NNPC boss explained that the company is pursuing strategic partnerships, infrastructure upgrades, and equity investments to boost local refining capacity.
According to him, these efforts include the ongoing rehabilitation of Nigeria’s state-owned refineries and NNPC’s equity interest in the privately owned Dangote Refinery.
He said the company is also involved in supporting third-party refinery projects and investments in condensate production.
According to him, these are “essential drivers” of downstream transformation across Africa.
“We must move from declarations to delivery, from national ambition to regional execution, and from fragmented development to system scale transformation,” Ojulari added.
Moreover, Ojulari called on stakeholders to take concrete steps to build a unified and sustainable refining system across the continent.
He said the future of Africa’s energy industry depends on bold, collaborative action.
“Let us build, not just refineries, but a new backbone for Africa’s industrial age. Let us refine, not just crude, but the future of this continent,” he said.
NNPC Limited is currently undergoing a major corporate transformation following Nigeria’s new petroleum laws, which commercialized the state run company.
The reforms are expected to improve efficiency, attract investment, and increase domestic fuel production.
