Fuel Scarcity To End In 14 Days As Refineries Begin Full Production

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) on Saturday said the lingering fuel scarcity in the country would be over in 2 weeks following the completion of repairs on the vandalized pipelines supplying crude oil to Kaduna Refining and Petro-chemical Company (KRPC).

The Group Executive Director (GED) and Chief Operating Officer (COO), Off-Stream sector, NNPC, Alhaji Bello Rabiu Barbuda, gave the assurance during a tour of the KRPC Plant.

He disclosed that the Warri and Port Harcourt refineries were also set for adequate fuel supply in the country, saying the era of shortage of the petroleum product supply will soon be over as refineries in the country would resume full production.

“As you can see, the whole country is under siege because of fuel supply. We are looking at the entire value chain to solve the problem.

“I come here to see the readiness of this refinery to be back on stream. We were actually having problem with the supply of crude oil to this place from Warri. It is about 640 kilometres line. That line is almost ready so that we would start pushing the crude here.

“At least in ten days, we would bring the crude to Kaduna, and about two or four days we would make everything ready.

“We want to make sure that in the next two weeks this refinery will be ready to start producing fuel. If that is done, the entire (northern) part of this country will be serviced with fuel.” Babura said.

In the meantime, the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) has decided to give 58.27 percent of its total supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in the second quarter of this year to the oil marketing companies, while the balance of 41.73 per cent will go to the NNPC.

The increase in the allocation of fuel to the marketing companies is to ensure that the product is easily available to motorists.