Construction Begins at Midoil Refinery

At last, the turning of the sod ceremony was carried out by Midoil Refining and Petrochemicals Company Limited, signaling the official start of construction activities in Lagos.

Recently, the sod was turned in Shekungba, Ikosi/Ejinrin Local Council Development Area, Lagos State.

 The dignitaries were escorted to the vast area of land at the Ikosi/Ejinrin Local Council Development Area by Mrs. Elizabeth-Omolara Akintonde, the Executive Chairman of Midoil.

Leaders and community members were given confidence by Akintonde that the refinery would bring about immediate development and create jobs, both direct and indirect.

She praised the village chiefs for standing their ground against those who attempted to bribe them into breaking their commitments.

With a 100,000-barrel-per-day refining capacity, the Midoil refinery would improve Nigeria’s energy landscape, according to Akintonde, whose 74th birthday fell on the same day as the sod turned.

“All these bushes you see today, in the next couple of months, you will see them no more,” Akintonde stated, assuring the people of her determination to see the project to reality.

 Hajia Amina Abdullahi, the Chairman of Serenecity Staff Housing Estate and one of the Directors of Midoil, expressed her happiness that the project had finally started after more than ten years of delay.

“We have faith in God that we will witness the inauguration of the refinery. We know this is a big project that will go through many processes, but with the turning of the sod today, we have taken the right step,” she stated.

Ifedola Okupevi, the Bishop of the Lagos Anglican Communion, prayed for the timely completion of the project while turning the sod.

 As reported by The Punch, on March 17, 2024, the Chairman of Midoil signed agreements with the representatives of Shekungba, Arogbo, and Ererufu and gave checks to the host communities.

She said the land allocation letter was received from the Lagos State Government on April 24, 2014, and that a sizable portion of the land was obtained from the administration of former Lagos Governor Babatunde Fashola. 

“Subsequently, on January 24, 2017, we got the licenses to establish the refinery from the then Department of Petroleum Resources,” she remarked.

Akintonde said: “It has taken Midoil 10 years to secure interested investors that are willing to invest in Nigeria and our project. But to the glory of God Almighty, we now have three consortiums of investors willing to invest $5bn with us.

 “The sourcing of the required funding from overseas has been the major reason for the delay.”