The federal government, through Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, has backed the ongoing construction of a 30,000-barrel-per-day modular refinery project in Koko, Delta State, by Ebenco Global Link Limited, an Indigenous Nigerian energy and industrial services company.
Lokpobiri made this known during the inspection of the refinery, describing the project as a strong indicator of renewed investor confidence in indigenous energy infrastructure.
The Minister also highlighted the refinery’s potential role in a broader strategy to address pipeline vandalism and illegal refining by providing legitimate, scalable alternatives within the value chain.
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He said: “The ongoing construction of a 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 refinery’s potential role is in a broader strategy to address pipeline vandalism and illegal refining by providing legitimate, scalable alternatives within the value chain.
“It is important to note that President Tinubu administration’s reforms are deliberately structured to unlock private capital and accelerate projects that advance national energy resilience.”
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According to the Minister, modular refining, when executed with strong governance and local fabrication, provides a practical pathway to bridging Nigeria’s supply gaps while advancing economic growth.
Speaking on the progress at the site, Ebenezer Oluwagbemiga, Ebenco’s Chief Executive Officer, affirmed that the refinery is on course to come on stream in phased capacity.
He added that beyond refining petroleum products, the project is expected to catalyse jobs, deepen local content, and materially reduce the incentives that drive illegal bunkering once full operations commence.
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He said: “We are taking this stage by stage. For now, we are starting with 5,000 barrels steamed per day.
“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.”
From a project governance and value-chain standpoint, Peter Akindeju, Ebenco’s Management Consultant, said the refinery’s modular, batch-based production architecture represents a rare leap in indigenous engineering and commercialisation, with strong potential to shorten delivery cycles and improve operational flexibility.
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Meanwhile, Omonigho Otanocha, Associate Professor at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun (FUPRE), on the visit, praised Ebenco’s investment as a landmark contribution to Nigeria’s industrial self-reliance.
He further noted that 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.
