The management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has announced that the rehabilitation of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemicals Company will be finalized by the close of 2024, following years of closure due to maintenance neglect.
Mustafa Sugungun, the Managing Director of KRPC, made this revelation during a Monday oversight visit to the refinery by members of the Senate Adhoc Committee on Petroleum Downstream, led by Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.
Sugungun detailed that the 110,000-barrel-per-day refinery is slated to commence production at 60 percent capacity by year-end, with full production to ensue thereafter. He assured that the ongoing rehabilitation, currently at 40 percent completion, is on track to meet the established timeline.
“Our rehabilitation is progressing steadily according to plan,” he affirmed. “We aim to have this facility operating at 60 percent nominal capacity by December 31st, 2024. Presently, we are advancing towards the 40 percent mark in rehabilitation. Our commitment remains steadfast in restoring the plant to at least 60 percent of its nominal capacity.”
He further explained, “The Kaduna Refinery’s overall capacity is 110,000 barrels per day, but we will commence with 60 percent of that capacity. Within a year, we anticipate reaching the full capacity of 110,000 barrels. Initially, our operations will utilize 60 percent Nigerian crude and 50,000 barrels of imported crude, mainly for lubricants and other petrochemical purposes.”
Senator Ubah emphasized that the oversight visit aligns with the collaborative efforts of President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to revive all of the nation’s refineries, ultimately ending the importation of petroleum products.
Established in 1980 to cater to Nigeria’s Northern region, the Kaduna refinery has been inactive for years, mirroring its counterparts in Port Harcourt and Warri, which has led the country to heavily depend on imported petroleum products.
