Like 2016, Kaduna refinery to resume Operations in December 2024

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has announced that the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemicals Company (KRPC) rehabilitation is on track to be completed by the end of 2024.

The Managing Director of KRPC, Mustafa Sugungun, provided these updates during an oversight visit by the Senate Adhoc Committee on Petroleum Downstream, led by Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.

The KRPC, with a nominal capacity of 110,000 barrels per day, has been inactive for years due to maintenance issues. However, Sugungun revealed that the rehabilitation process is progressing steadily, with the plant expected to reach 60 per cent capacity by December 31st, 2024.

He assured that efforts are being made to meet this target, with the current rehabilitation progress at 40 per cent.

“Our rehabilitation is going on well and steadily according to the plan we have. We are planning to bring this plant to 60 percent nominal capacity by December 31st, 2024,” he noted.

He further emphasised the commitment to restoring the refinery’s functionality, indicating that the initial operations will use 60 per cent Nigerian crude and 50,000 barrels of imported crude, mainly for lubricants and other petrochemical purposes.

Senator Ubah, expressing the National Assembly’s collaborative efforts with the Executive, highlighted the significance of revitalising Nigeria’s refineries. He stressed that this initiative aims to reduce the country’s reliance on imported petroleum products, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s vision for self-sufficiency in the energy sector.

The Kaduna refinery, established in 1980 to cater to Nigeria’s petroleum needs, has been inactive for an extended period, contributing to the nation’s dependence on imported fuel.

However, with the ongoing rehabilitation efforts, reports of completion and renovation are not new, as in 2016, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) informed that production at the Kaduna refinery plant was expected to restart by mid-April, Reuters reported.

NNPC halted crude flows to the refineries around mid-January 2016 after the key pipelines feeding the plants were attacked.

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