The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has revealed that 11 crude oil cargoes offered to local refiners in one month were not taken up, despite repeated complaints by operators about crude shortages.
The Chief Executive of NUPRC, Gbenga Komolafe, who was represented by Boma Atiyegoba, disclosed this during a panel session at the Crude Oil Refinery-Owners Association of Nigeria (CORAN) Summit held recently in Lagos.
According to Komolafe, while refiners have consistently lamented the non-availability of feedstock for local processing, the commission’s records indicate that crude oil has been made available to them under the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation (DCSO) framework.
He emphasised that the commission remains committed to ensuring compliance with the DCSO as stipulated in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), noting that the NUPRC has taken proactive steps to facilitate equitable crude allocation to all licensed local refineries.
The PUNCH reports that the 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote Refinery has repeatedly complained about inadequate crude supply, forcing it to source feedstock from the United States. Similarly, owners of modular refineries have urged the Federal Government to enforce the domestic crude supply obligation to guarantee steady operations.
Industry stakeholders say the revelation by NUPRC underscores the need for better coordination between producers and refiners, to ensure the success of Nigeria’s ongoing energy transition and industrialisation drive.
