Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) prepares to begin oil and gas exploration in Ogun State. Key stakeholders in the oil industry, including the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company Ltd., Osagie Okubor, Chief Executive of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Gbenga Komolafe, and NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, visited Ogun State on Friday to advance plans for exploration.
The delegation was welcomed by Governor Dapo Abiodun and his deputy, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, at the governor’s office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Lokpobiri emphasized Ogun State’s inclusion in the Dahomey Basin, noting its significant potential for hydrocarbon deposits. He stated, “We have decided to resume exploration in various basins, including Ogun State, to reassure the people of the potential discoveries here. This visit underscores the federal government’s commitment to these exploration activities.”
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Highlighting the importance of oil and gas for Nigeria’s economic prosperity, Lokpobiri said the team’s visit signifies the federal government’s determination to increase revenue through the oil and gas sector.
He added, “We are here to demonstrate our commitment to continuing exploration activities across Nigeria. After Ogun, we will proceed to Sokoto State.”
NNPCL’s Mele Kyari expressed optimism about finding commercial quantities of oil in Ogun State, which he described as blessed to be in the Dahomey Basin corridor.
Meanwhile, Gbenga Komolafe of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission emphasized the federal government’s goal to expand oil reserves and boost federation revenue through aggressive exploration in the Dahomey Basin.
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Komolafe also noted that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) provides funding for the development of frontier basins, stating that the Nigerian Petroleum Regulatory Commission is working closely with NNPCL to leverage this provision for exploration activities in Ogun State and beyond.
“The Dahomey Basin stretches across Delta, Edo, Ogun, and Ondo states. This initiative will significantly benefit Ogun State and support the governor’s reform and transformation initiatives,” he said.
Governor Abiodun expressed optimism about Ogun State’s inclusion in oil exploration activities. He noted that the state is part of Oil Prospecting Licenses (OPLs) 302, 303, 306, and 307, which offer unique opportunities for qualification as a Frontier Exploration State under the PIA.
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Abiodun highlighted the economic benefits of potential oil and gas discoveries, including data acquisition that could aid bitumen exploration and exploitation, given Nigeria’s substantial bitumen reserves.
He concluded, “Ogun State provides ease of access, low entry and operating costs, a safe and welcoming community, and strong state government support. These factors make it an ideal location for achieving the objectives of the PIA and ensuring additional petroleum production and supply for potential refineries in the area.”
The initiative marks a significant step towards realizing Ogun State’s oil and gas potential, promising economic growth and development for the region and Nigeria as a whole.