The management of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has issued an operating license to Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Company, Ologbo, Edo State.
At a ceremony on Tuesday, NMDPRA CEO, Mr Farouk Ahmed, handed over the certificate to AIPCC Energy Limited, the parent company of Edo Refinery.
Mr Ahmed handed over the operating license to the refinery’s Technical Operations Manager, Mr Segun Okeni.
During the handover, Mr Farouk commended the company for its achievements and encouraged further efforts.
Mr Okeni, speaking on behalf of AIPCC Energy, said the company would continue to contribute to the oil refining and gas processing sub-sectors. He said AIPCC is developing three more projects, one of which is expected to be completed next year.
Okeni said the operating permit is the final stage of regulatory approval and means the plant can fully operate as a refinery.
“It starts from license to establish, license to construct, approval to introduce hydrocarbon, pre-commissioning and commissioning, operate the refinery for some time to ensure it can do so, and finally the license to operate LTO,” he said.
Okeni said the refinery is finalizing plans with domestic oil companies for access to crude oil for optimal production capacity.
