From Investment Summit To Refinery Site: Delta’s MB Project Moves Closer To Production
By BLESSING AGWE ODUGO
Delta Investment Summit Yields Results as MB Refinery Project Gains Momentum
THE Delta State Government says the impact of its economic and investment drive is beginning to show, with the MB Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited project in Ajagbodudu, Warri North Local Government Area, making progress towards construction and eventual production.
The development is being presented as part of the state’s broader strategy to attract private capital into strategic sectors, particularly oil and gas, while expanding industrial activity, creating employment and stimulating economic growth.
Project Advances at Ajagbodudu
The Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Hon. Peter Uviejitobor, disclosed the progress during an inspection of the refinery site after the company’s management presented an update on the project to the state government.
Uviejitobor said the refinery could strengthen private-sector participation in the state’s oil and gas industry while increasing local refining capacity.
He noted that construction work had advanced on the basement and foundation. The project site also has designated areas for petroleum product storage tanks.
According to the commissioner, the facility’s location along the riverbank could provide logistical advantages. It could ease the movement of heavy equipment, facilitate the evacuation of refined products and support future expansion into petrochemical production.
Three-Phase Refinery Plan
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MB Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited and Bob and Sil Global Services Limited, Akuyoma Bobson, said the project is designed as a 30,000-barrel-per-day modular refinery.
The company plans to develop the facility in three phases.
The first phase will have a capacity of 5,000 barrels per day. It will produce Naphtha, Automotive Gas Oil, also known as diesel, Fuel Oil and Jet Fuel.
The second phase will raise capacity to 15,000 barrels per day. The final phase will increase output to 30,000 barrels per day and introduce processes for converting Naphtha into Premium Motor Spirit, commonly known as petrol.
The phased approach is intended to allow the company to expand production progressively as the project develops.
Production Target & Industrial Potential
Uviejitobor said the refinery is expected to begin production within 18 months.
He also pointed to the proposed petrochemical component as a potential catalyst for additional industrial activity. According to him, the development could attract related businesses, generate employment and stimulate economic activities in communities around the project.
The commissioner urged investors and strategic partners to explore collaboration, public-private partnerships and other financing arrangements that could help the project reach completion.
He described the proposed facility as having the potential to develop into a major industrial hub and compete with established refining operations in Nigeria.
Jobs & Local Economic Impact
Bobson said the refinery could create between 150 and 200 direct local jobs when it becomes fully operational.
Beyond direct employment, the project could generate opportunities for contractors, transport operators, suppliers, maintenance companies and other service providers connected to the refinery and petrochemical value chain.
The company also plans to use Liquefied Petroleum Gas for power generation. Bobson said the arrangement would help reduce operating costs and improve the facility’s operational efficiency.
Investment Summit & Industrialisation
The progress of the MB Refinery project provides an early indication of how investment promotion efforts can translate into physical projects when investors move from negotiations to implementation.
For Delta, the larger objective extends beyond a single refinery. Expanding local refining and petrochemical capacity could deepen the state’s industrial base and create opportunities for businesses that depend on petroleum products and related inputs.
The refinery management commended the Delta State Government and the host community for their support, expressing confidence that continued cooperation would aid the completion and eventual operation of the facility.
