Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele provided reassurance to Nigerians that the ongoing fuel crisis will soon be resolved, expressing this commitment during an interview at the Oil Technology Conference in Houston, Texas.
Bamidele emphasized the legislature’s dedication to addressing fuel scarcity and long queues at filling stations, highlighting plans to engage additional private-sector entities in constructing new refineries.
“The Senate is working to ensure that more private-sector players are licensed to own and operate refineries. This is to support other smaller ones that are springing up in several parts of the country.
“In addition to licensing new refinery operators, the Federal Government and Senate are working to ensure that the existing refineries are turned around with repairs and replacement of parts carried out where necessary,” he said.
Bamidele said the Senate had received an assurance from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited that two of its refineries in Warri and Port Harcourt would come on stream before the end of the year.
He also noted that the commitment to licensing new refinery operators and revitalising existing refineries remained vital for increasing domestic oil production.
Opeyemi maintained that the focus was to ensure that Nigeria meets its OPEC production quota.