(Ecofin Agency) - Nigeria’s three refineries Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna, produce 60% of the kerosene consumed in the country, according to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Speaking at a 2-day Investigative Public Hearing of the House of Representative Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), the Chief Operating Officer, Downstream, NNPC, Henry Ikem Obih, explained that the refineries are currently producing 5 million liters of kerosene per day. This, he said is more than 60% of the nation’s daily demand of 8 million litres.

Obih added that the remaining three million litres is being imported by private petroleum products marketers.

Regarding the quality of petroleum products being supplied in the country, Obih noted that the corporation ensures that total refining output from the three refineries and the ones being imported meet the specifications of the Nigerian Institute of Standard (NIS) and Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON).

“The quality of kerosene being sold to the general public required regular inspection to ensure that it meets health, safety, environment and quality standards at all times to avert any regulatory breaches or threat to lives and properties of the general public and consumers of the products.”

This new development is coming ahead of the Federal Government’s 2019 target to stop the importation of petroleum products.

For a while now, Africa’s leading oil producer has been focusing on renovating and constructing new refineries to reduce its dependence on imports of refined petroleum products.

Anita Fatunji