Niger to supply crude

– Nigeria and the Republic of Niger unveiled
plans that will boost the oil sector
– Niger will supply crude oil to Kaduna
refinery
– This might not be unconnected to
Nigeria’s low oil production
There are indications that due to the
militancy in the Niger Delta region that has
reduced Nigeria’s oil production, the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)
unveiled plans to purchase oil from the
Republic of Niger to Kaduna refinery.
Vanguard reports that Mr. Maikanti Baru who
is the group managing director of NNPC said
this after a bilateral discussion with the
minister of energy and oil of the Republic of
Niger, Hon. Foumakoye Gado, in Abuja.
Baru said that the NNPC would partner with
Niger in the area of sharing geological data
to further boost the ongoing exploratory
activities in the Chad Basin and Benue
Trough.
“There will be steering committee comprising
some Ministers and a technical committee
which will involve the NNPC and the Nigerien
Ministry of Energy and Oil and their
operators.”
The Nigerien Energy Minister, Hon. Gado said
his visit was to discuss issues of interest
especially in the area of the oil sector with
the NNPC.
He said the procurement of crude oil for
Kaduna refinery and its practicability was
being worked out.
“One of the aims of this visit is to share
geological information for us to draw the best
profit out of the exploratory efforts.”
Meanwhile, just a day after President
Muhammadu Buhari’s meeting with Niger
Delta leaders where he was presented with a
16-point demand, oil-producing communities,
under the aegis of Host Communities of
Nigeria, Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM)
have submitted 5 new additional demands.
President Buhari had met with Niger Delta
leaders led by Chief Edwin Clark at the State
House in Abuja on Tuesday, November 1.
Some of the requests made by the Clark-led
team include the completion of major road
projects in the region, the take-off of the
maritime university, the full activation of
ports in Niger Delta and other water ways,
the relocation of international oil companies
to the region, the issuance of oil blocks to
the states and other stakeholders as well as
the strengthening of the Niger Delta
Development Commission and the Ministry of
Niger Delta Affairs. They also spoke about
the issue of fiscal federalism.