Nigeria to become marine petroleum products retail operations hub in Africa - DPR

Engr. Sarki Auwalu, Director, DPR

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) says it has enhanced the Marine Petroleum Products  Retail Operations (MAPPRO) popularly known as “Bunkering” to ensure that the country becomes the principal MAPPRO hub in the region. 

Engr. Sarki Auwalu, Director and Chief Executive Officer, DPR, made the disclosure while delivering the lead paper at the Fourth Valuechain Lecture and Awards on Monday in Abuja.

The lecture has at its title: “Enhancing Effective Synergy Between Oil and Gas and Maritime Sectors for a Greater Value Creation."

Auwalu noted that the petroleum sector and the maritime sector were both vital to the economy and national development hence the need to continuously synergise their operations.

He said :"  Significantly, the DPR has enhanced MAPPRO popularly known as “Bunkering”. This measure is to ensure that Nigeria becomes the principal MAPPRO hub in the region.

"To this end, an international Bunkering conference will be held in the coming weeks to showcase Nigeria’s capacity and capabilities in this respect as well as attract investments and partnerships from across the world.

"Engagements and collaborations with all relevant stakeholders in top gear to make this intentional conference a landmark event that puts Nigeria on the global map for marine products retail."

He noted that  not only does the maritime and oil and gas industry 

share collaboration, but they also face similar risks and threats in the 

foreseeable future.

According to him, this include geopolitical tension, cyber-attacks, crude oil price, decarbonisation, climate-change adaptation, global economic 

crisis and piracy/theft. 

"However, with effective synergy and collaboration, both industries can surmount these challenges and turn them to opportunities for our common good and the health of the national 

economy,"the director said.

He said the recently commissioned Nigeria Oil and Gas Excellence Center (NOGEC) by President Muhammadu Buhari  provides Search 

Rescue and Surveillance Coordination Centre for Oil and Gas Industry which the maritime industry could leverage. 

Auwalu said the DPR has deployed the Crude Oil and LNG Tracking 

to Final Destination (COLT) platform, which complements the National 

Production Monitoring System (NPMS), to ensure that all petroleum 

cargoes from the nation’s shores are monitored and effectively tracked. 

He said: "This Platform provides credible data for surveillance, security 

monitoring, product accounting and international trade relationships. 

"The platform is also providing a lever for Advance Cargo Declaration ACD) programme and simplifies the obtainment of an Exit Summary 

Number (ESN) for any shipment.

" Furthermore, DPR shares vital 

intelligence with relevant agencies of government to ensure maritime 

safety and economic wellbeing. 

Auwalu said the Federal Government was putting policies and programmes in place designed to position the Nigerian oil and gas sector regionally and in the global arena. 

He said notable among the programmes are  the Refinery Revolution and Decade of Gas initiative.

Auwalu said they are both geared 

towards increased in-country utilisation of petroleum to drive Industrialisation, job creation, poverty eradication and additional contribution to the nation's Gross Domestic Product.

"The Department, being an Opportunity House and Business Enabler, has continually worked to reduce the erstwhile high barrier to entry in the refining business, and improved integration with established supply chain.

" In addition, the Department has gone ahead to pre-validate/ approve the technologies and processes of licensors and OEMs in a bid to cut the licensing/ approval timelines," he added.