Nigeria is losing $2.4 million of gas and electricity daily due to pipeline sabotages, the Ministry of power, works and housing warn.

The ministry declared this following the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)’s closure of two oil refineries on January 20, 2016, after the pipelines attacks that affected crude oil supply in the country.

According to NNPC, the refineries (one in Port Harcourt and the other in Kaduna) were shut down after attacks at the Bonny-Okrika and Escravos-Warri crude supply lines, in the Niger Delta area.

“Before the closure, the Port Harcourt Refinery was recording a daily PMS yield of over 4.1 million litres while Kaduna Refinery was posting a daily petrol production of about 1.3 million litres. In response to the unexpected setback, we have activated comprehensive remedial measures to sustain the prevailing stability in the supply and distribution of petroleum products across the country”, NNPC said.

So far no one has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

The current lack of refineries in the country signifies that it has to export about 90% of its crude oil as well as import petroleum products, including fuel. In fact, out of the three refineries which recommenced production in July 2015 after months of idleness, two have been closed, only one refinery is active, signifies that the country will have to import more petroleum products.

There are also concerns that the closure of the refineries together with pipeline sabotages will further aggravate the ongoing fuel shortage in the country, IBTimes reports.

Anita Fatunji