Jonathan Hails Azikel Refinery As Catalyst For Niger Delta Industrialisation

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has commended progress on the construction of the Azikel Refinery in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, describing the project as a potential hub for industrialisation in the Niger Delta.

Jonathan made the remarks after visiting the refinery and inspecting construction progress.

In a statement published on his official Facebook page, the former president described the project as a potential “hub of the new industrialisation” of the Niger Delta and Nigeria’s South-South region.

“I was pleased to visit the Azikel Refinery in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, and to see first-hand the progress being made on this important project,” Jonathan said.

He said the refinery, designed to produce a full range of refined petroleum products including petrol, would contribute to Nigeria’s efforts to expand domestic refining capacity, strengthen energy security, promote industrial development and diversify the economy.

Jonathan also commended the President of Azikel Group, Eruani Azibapu, for his vision, resilience and investment in the project, as well as his efforts to promote private sector-led industrialisation in the Niger Delta.

The refinery, which was originally licensed in 2015, has undergone extensive value engineering and redesign, increasing its planned processing capacity to 25,000 barrels per day and raising the total investment to about $1 billion.

The facility is a full-slate hydro-skimming refinery capable of producing Premium Motor Spirit, diesel, aviation fuel, kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas, with plans to expand its capacity to 125,000 barrels per day in the future.

The project was conceived as a strategic industrial investment to position Bayelsa State as a major industrial hub, create employment opportunities, and stimulate economic growth across the Niger Delta.

Jonathan said projects such as the Azikel Refinery and Dangote Refinery represented important steps towards greater local content, self-reliance and energy security in Nigeria.

He said investments of such magnitude demonstrated the Niger Delta's potential to move beyond its traditional role as a crude oil-producing region and develop into a major centre for refining, manufacturing, value addition, employment generation, and industrial development.

The former president also acknowledged the contributions of the Africa Finance Corporation and the African Export-Import Bank to the refinery's development.

He commended AFC President Samaila Zubairu and the corporation’s board, as well as Afreximbank President George Elombi and the bank’s board, for their financial and institutional support for the project.

Jonathan said Azikel Group’s commitment to developing industrial infrastructure in the Niger Delta would help add value to Nigeria’s natural resources, create sustainable employment and contribute to the country’s economic transformation.

He added that investments of this scale could also support wider industrial development across Africa by strengthening local production capacity and creating opportunities for economic growth.