FG to license Modular refineries

Vice President, YemiOsinbajo, has said that the Federal Government is making moves to license illegal refineries in the country.
He said this at the Modular Refineries Association of Nigeria, MRAN conference titled, ‘Modular Refineries,’ held in Lagos on Monday.
Speaking on behalf of the VP, Ambassador JideOlu said the FG was working hard to reposition the oil and gas industry in order to increase local refining through modular refineries.
“We need to add value to oil and gas production so that our products will be better appreciated especially in this era of shale. That is why the FG is repositioning the oil and gas industry by encouraging local refining and Modular refineries,”he said.
He said the FG’s priority is to establish a national oil and gas master plan this year.
Furthermore, he stated that modular refineries are part of the FG’s options in moving the Nigerian economy forward.
According to him, modular refineries afford the country to meet up with both local and international demands.
“Modular refineries must form part of our options because it helps us attend to both local and foreign challenges,”he said.
Corroborating the VP’s stand, GM, Business Development Downstream and non-oil, NNPC, Luke Anniele, said Nigeria has to put an end to petroleum importation. He quoted Kachikwu’s recent statement that Nigeria should target a time frame of between 12-18 months to get out of petroleum importation which can be achieved by improving local content.
Chairman of the conference, Professor LociousIgwe, suggested that the FG, “legalize illegal refineries.”
“Nigeria is in a state of crises. It is emergency. We should have Modular refineries because this is demand and supply in play so, government should license those guys in the creeks because they already have the raw skills. We just have to show them the specifications,”he said.