Heineken Lokpobiri, minister of state for petroleum resources (oil), says the ministry is identifying regions with high mineral exploration potential.
In a statement on Thursday, Lokpobiri said the ministry is working with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to explore areas with great prospects.
“In line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which empowers the Ministry to carry out exploration in areas of great prospect through the Frontier Exploration Fund, we are identifying regions with high mineral exploration potential, in conjuction with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC),” Lokpobiri said.
“I made this known while receiving the Governor of Kogi State, H.E. Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, and his entourage during a courtesy visit aimed at fostering productive collaboration between the state and the ministry of petroleum resources.”
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The minister said as Kogi recently joined the league of oil-producing states, there will be increased seismic activity in the region as efforts are made to discover more oil fields, thereby boosting output and enhancing the state’s revenue share.
He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to partnering with state governments in oil exploration efforts, particularly as it continues to record significant investment commitments from international oil companies (IOCs) and the Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG).
Lokpobiri attributed the development to President Bola Tinubu’s leadership in transforming the oil sector.
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