By Michael Eboh,

ABUJA — Nine companies, yesterday, indicated their readiness to build new refineries within the existing refineries in the country.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation,  NNPC, in a statement signed by its  Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Garba Muhammed, said the nine companies submitted their bids for the projects, while the bids were opened at a bid-opening ceremony in Abuja.

The NNPC said it was committed to boosting the nation’s refining capacity which in turn would put an end to perennial fuel scarcity in the country.

Speaking at the event, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Refineries, Mr. Anibo Kragha, said the open bidding was a demonstration of the determination of the Federal Government and the NNPC to increase the nation’s refining capacity from 445,000 barrels per day to 650,000.

He said: “The aim is to leverage on the existing facilities to fast-track the take-off of the refineries as soon as possible.”

According to him, a technical evaluation committee has been set up to study the bids and announce winners as soon as possible.

Speaking earlier, General Manager, Supply Chain Management of the NNPC, Sophia Mbakwe, enjoined all the companies to accept the outcome as the exercise would be transparent.

She said all the rules of public procurement as spelt out in the Bureau for Public Procurement Act would be strictly adhered to.

The NNPC said the exercise was witnessed by representatives of the Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP).