FUEL PRICE HIKE: Niger Republic Now Exports Fuel To Nigeria––Landlocked country in West Africa, Niger Republic, which started commercial oil production in 2011, now exports petroleum products to Nigeria, as the West African country’s refineries remain grounded.
For decades, Nigeria’s three major refineries have been grounded to near-zero capacity utilisation with all of its refined fuel imported from other countries.
According to Guardian, data obtained from the African Refiners & Distributors Association (ARA) revealed that strong refinery performance in neighbouring Niger Republic meets local fuel demand, and the excess production is exported to Nigeria, Mali and Burkina Faso.
The Genius Media recall that as Nigeria struggles to get its refineries working and to attract foreign investment to the downstream sector of the oil industry, Niger has built a single 20,000-barrel per day refinery with configuration for local market.
The facility is currently turning out liquefied petroleum gas, 7 per cent; gasoline, 32 per cent; and diesel, 61 per cent, to enable it optimise stranded crude supply.
It is worthy to note that NigerRepublic built its refineries in less than three years, pushing utilisation from zero to about 90 per cent in 2019.
