This was stated in a press statement issued on Tuesday night by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
The Presidency has claimed it is the vision of President Bola Tinubu to make the country a hub where refined petroleum products will be sold to the international market.
This was stated in a press statement issued on Tuesday night by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
The presidential aide stated that President Tinubu is aiming to ensure that his policies create an environment conducive for the growth of local refineries.
Nigeria now has five domestic refineries: four under the management and supervision of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, and one private refinery controlled by the Dangote group. While state-owned refineries have been dormant for years, the private refinery began production in the third quarter of this year.
“The vision of Mr President is to turn Nigeria into a hub for refined products to export to the world,” Mr Onanuga’s statement quoted.
The statement added that the President had therefore called for smooth cooperation among various oil sector players, including the NNPC Ltd and Dangote Refinery, to collectively develop workable systems to improve the country's refined petroleum product production.
“There can be cost and revenue adjustment in the oil sector, but the issue is that the government will not have to go back to the old way of doing things,” the President was quoted as saying in the statement.
The statement continued: “Whatever solution we proffer in crude oil and refined products sales in Naira should not take us back to our experience in the last 40 years.
“The President urged stakeholders to look inward and consider supplying enough petrol and petroleum products for local consumption to stop the persistent reliance on importation. He said this would enable the channelling of foreign exchange into the development of the real sector.
“The President advised stakeholders to use Afreximbank as a settlement bank to resolve the Naira pricing for crude and refined products. Afreximbank is already on board as the financial adviser.
“The market must determine what we are doing. Once you allow the market to determine the profit and loss, independent marketers and the government side can meet on the worksheet. I want the issues resolved without future waste of time.”
“We can have energy security, and the motivation for Alhaji Aliko Dangote will not be defeated. It will be more predictable on a medium and long-term basis,” the President added.