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Eraskon Nigeria breaks ground on new industrial manufacturing complex

Scene of the groundbreaking ceremony of Eraskon Nigeria's integrated manufacturing complex in Yenagoa on March 17.

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During a grand ceremony held in Yenagoa earlier today, Eraskon Nigeria has officially broken ground on its 64,000 litres per day lubricants blending plant at Gbarain in Bayelsa State. The groundbreaking was preceded by a ceremony marking the launch of the company’s new ERASKO GOLD lubricants products line.

Both functions were attended by key Nigerian officials, including former President Dr. Goodluck E. Jonathan and Engr. Simbi Wabote, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development & Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

Eraskon Nigeria is the company executing the project as a joint-venture between ERASKORP Nigeria and the NCDMB. The facility is expected to be commissioned in December 2022 and will help in meeting increasing domestic demand for high quality lubricants, engine oil, transmission fuels, engine coolers and specialty products such as waxes.

“Nigeria consumes 800 million litres of engine oil and lubricants every year and its consumption continues to grow by 5% per annum,” said Engr. Simbi Wabote during the ceremony in Yenagoa. “Nigeria’s in-country blending capacity stands at only 150 million litres so we have a huge gap that remains met by imports,” he added.

“Eraskon Nigeria’s project will result in the building of a world-class facility producing a range of high-quality lubricants for the Nigerian market,” declared Maxwell Oko, Vice Chairman and CEO at ERASKORP. “This plant is the first step in realizing our vision to build an industrial conglomerate in the Niger Delta,” he added.

The lubricants blending plant is being built on 8ha of land, out of a total 50ha acquired around Shell’s Gbarain gas hub. The company envisions to further integrate its operations in the future by producing drilling and production chemicals, turbine oil and house products such as detergents and aerosols.

Gbrain is increasingly emerging as a local content hub housing some of Nigeria’s newest energy infrastructure. The 12,000 barrels per day (bpd) Azikel Refinery is currently nearing completion at the same location, while Rungas expects to commission its LPG composite cylinder manufacturing unit there as well this year.

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