Buhari orders NNPC to buy oil from Niger Republic

 

The Nigeria Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has disclosed that it is exploring the possibilities of piping crude oil from Niger Republic for refining in Kaduna.

NNPC Group Managing Director, Dr Maikanti Baru said this on Friday, when he paid courtesy visit on Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

He disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari has endorsed the plan.

He said it was important to explore alternative crude supply to Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, which has been affected by vandalism of pipelines and age.

“Due to challenges with the aged refinery and crude oil pipelines that had been breached severally, the operations of the refinery has been epileptic,” Baru said.

“This we are determined to resolve through various intervention methods including evaluation of alternative crude oil supply from Niger Republic through building of a pipelines of over 1, 000 kilometers from Agadem to Kaduna.

“That efforts is being championed by Mr President himself. We have already started engagements with the Nigerien Minister of Petroleum and the Chinese that are operating the field at Agadem.”

Baru also pledged to sustain efforts at enhancing energy supply to power industries in Kaduna through the development of Ajaokuta-Abuja-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline, as well as development of power plants in Kaduna and Abuja.

The NNPC boss disclosed that the College of Ptroleum Resources in Kaduna would start operation on Januarry 1, 2017, and thanked the state government for undertaking to construct internal roads in the school.
Baru urged the governor to sensitise resident against sabotage of the nation’s oil assets due to its adverse effect on the community, environment and national economy.

The governor pledged to support the gas pipeline project because of its tremendous potentials to the social and economic stability of the state.

He expressed confidence that ongoing reforms of the NNPC would strengthen the corporation to serve Nigeria better.