The management of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority has issued an operational licence to Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited, Ologbo, in the Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.

The NMDPRA is the technical and commercial regulator of midstream and downstream operations in the petroleum industry.

Issuance of operational licence is the final stage of approval from the regulatory authority which implies that the plant can now fully operate as a refinery.

The authority’s Chief Executive Officer, Ahmed Farouk, in a ceremony on Tuesday, handed the certificate to AIPCC, the parent company of Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited.

Farouk, who was accompanied by the Executive Director, NMDPRA, Hydrocarbon Processing Plant Installation and Transport Infrastructure, Francis Ogaree, handed over the operational licence to the Refinery Head, Technical Operations, Segun Okeni.

During the handover, Farouk commended the company for achieving the feat and enjoined the firm to do more.

On his part, Okeni assured the management of the refinery that the regulatory authority is a business enabler and would be ready to give AIPCC Energy/Edo Refinery all the necessary support in all its projects.