Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has inspected the ongoing construction of a groundbreaking 30,000-barrel-per-day modular refinery in Koko, Delta State, hailing it as a testament to renewed investor confidence and a strategic boost to Nigeria’s energy security.
Developed by indigenous energy and industrial services firm Ebenco Global Link Limited, the facility represents one of the most ambitious locally driven refining projects in recent years. During the site visit, Senator Lokpobiri commended the project’s alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s petroleum sector reforms, which prioritize unlocking private capital and accelerating infrastructure that enhances national resilience.
“The ongoing construction of the 30,000-barrel-per-day modular refinery project in Koko, Delta State, is a strong indicator of renewed investor confidence in indigenous energy infrastructure,” the Minister stated. He emphasized that modular refineries, when underpinned by robust governance and local fabrication, offer a pragmatic solution to Nigeria’s refining deficits, while curbing economic sabotage through legitimate alternatives to illegal operations.
Ebenco’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ebenezer Oluwagbemiga, briefed the Minister on the phased rollout, confirming that operations will commence with a 5,000-barrel-per-day steam-processing unit before scaling to full capacity. “We are taking this stage by stage,” Dr. Oluwagbemiga said. “Beyond refining petroleum products, the project is expected to catalyze jobs, deepen local content, and materially reduce the incentives that drive illegal bunkering once full operations commence.”
The Minister highlighted the refinery’s role in combating pipeline vandalism and illegal refining—persistent challenges in the Niger Delta—by integrating scalable, regulated processing into the value chain. He reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting such initiatives, including through credit facilities and policy incentives, to foster a self-reliant downstream sector.
Otanocha, a project spokesperson, underscored the facility’s indigenous credentials: “The Koko refinery embodies the growing capacity of Nigerian firms to lead complex midstream and downstream infrastructure development, rather than rely primarily on imported solutions.”
This inspection follows a series of high-level endorsements for modular refining as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s energy transition. Authorities project the Ebenco plant will ease fuel supply shortages, stimulate employment in Delta State, and contribute to broader goals of reducing crude oil theft, which drains billions from the economy annually.
As construction progresses on schedule, the project signals a brighter horizon for the Niger Delta’s oil and gas ecosystem, blending innovation with sustainability to power Nigeria’s economic resurgence.
