NSE Hails Azikel Refinery, Eruani Explains Delayed Take Off

The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Bayelsa State Branch, has described the Azikel Refinery in Yenagoa as a major engineering project capable of driving industrialisation and economic development in the state.

The commendation was made during a tour of the refinery complex by members of the professional body.

Chairman of the NSE Bayelsa State Branch, Mac Jokori, said the refinery had met high engineering standards and represented a significant development in Nigeria’s refining industry.

Jokori said the facility, which is in the final stages, was designed to process both condensate and crude oil as feedstocks, describing the project as a major engineering achievement.

He said the refinery would contribute to industrial growth, technology transfer and local capacity development beyond its commercial value.

“As engineers, we recognise that a refinery of this scale is more than a commercial venture. It is an engine of industrialisation, a catalyst for local capacity building, and a pathway to sustainable development for our youths,” Jokori said.

According to him, more than 700 engineers and other personnel were currently engaged in the project's completion phase, creating employment and skills development opportunities.

Jokori also said the NSE was ready to support the refinery through technical collaboration, internship and mentorship programmes, research partnerships, and capacity-building initiatives.

He added that collaboration among industry players, government and professional bodies would be important in maintaining engineering standards, operational safety, environmental responsibility and local content development.

President of Azikel Group, Dr Azibapu Eruani, attributed the extended construction timeline of the refinery to engineering upgrades, redesign, and the complexity of developing a full-slate hydro-skimming refinery.

Eruani said the project, which was originally licensed in 2015, had undergone several rounds of value engineering and redesign, increasing its processing capacity to 25,000 barrels per day and total investment to about $1 billion.

“The Azikel Refinery licensed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 has now gone through several enhanced value engineering and redesign to a 25,000 barrels per day capacity. It is now a $1 billion investment,” he said.

He explained that the facility was designed as a full-slate hydro-skimming refinery capable of producing Premium Motor Spirit, diesel, aviation fuel, kerosene, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas.

Eruani said there were also plans to expand the refinery's capacity to 125,000 barrels per day.

The Azikel Group president said the project was conceived as a strategic industrial investment to position Bayelsa State as an industrial hub, create employment, and stimulate economic activity across the Niger Delta and Nigeria.

He disclosed that the refinery currently employs more than 700 workers, comprising mainly young Bayelsans and Nigerian engineers, as well as expatriate specialists.

Eruani said the investment had contributed to the state through job creation, wealth generation and skills development.

He also dismissed comparisons between the Azikel Refinery and topping plants, explaining that the two facilities differed in terms of complexity and refining capacity.

According to him, topping plants primarily produce diesel, while hydro skimming refineries can process crude oil or condensate into a wider range of refined petroleum products, including petrol and aviation fuel.

He said the ability to process crude oil or condensate into petrol and aviation fuel represented a major technical capability in refinery operations.

Eruani maintained that the Azikel Refinery was Nigeria's second-largest full-slate refinery and the only refinery in Africa designed to process condensate into a complete range of petroleum products, including petrol, dual-purpose kerosene, automotive gas oil, and heavy fuel oil.