BREAKING: Ogun Set to Join Oil Producing States as Exploration Commences
Abeokuta, Nigeria – May 30, 2024
Ogun State is on the cusp of becoming an oil-producing state as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) prepares to commence oil and gas exploration in the region. This development marks a significant milestone for the Gateway State and its economic prospects.
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 Okunbor, Chief Executive of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Gbenga Komolafe, and Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, visited Ogun State on Friday to lay out plans for the forthcoming exploration activities.
The delegation was warmly received by Governor Dapo Abiodun and his Deputy, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, at the governor’s office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Hon. Lokpobiri emphasized Ogun State’s potential within the Dahomey Basin, which is believed to have substantial hydrocarbon deposits. “We decided that we are going to resume exploration in the different Basins; we decided to come to Ogun State to reassure the people that we have very high potential of discoveries here. Ogun has always been part of the Dahomey Basin, and our presence underscores the seriousness the federal government attaches to the exploration activities that we want to carry out in Ogun State,” he said.
Highlighting the significance of oil and gas to Nigeria’s economic growth, Lokpobiri reiterated the federal government’s commitment to boosting revenue through the sector. “Today, we are here to tell the people of the federal government’s commitment to ensuring that we continue our campaign and exploration activities across the country. We are doing these exploration activities in several places across Nigeria, and today we are in Ogun, after which we will proceed to Sokoto State,” he added.
NNPCL’s Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari, expressed optimism about the exploration prospects in Ogun State, which is part of the Dahomey Basin corridor. He assured that the corporation is set to commence exploration activities in earnest, with the hope of discovering oil in commercial quantities.
In his remarks, Gbenga Komolafe, Executive Director of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, emphasized the federal government’s dedication to expanding oil reserves and increasing national revenue. He noted that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) provides funding for the development of the Frontier Basins, and the commission is working in collaboration with NNPCL to leverage this provision for aggressive exploration in the Dahomey Basin.
“The Dahomey Basin stretches up to Delta, Edo, Ogun, and Ondo states. We intend to cover all those states during this exercise, leveraging Section 9, Subsection 4 of the PIA. This is a good opportunity for the people of Ogun State and will complement the governor’s reforms and transformation initiatives,” Komolafe said.
Governor Dapo Abiodun expressed enthusiasm about the state’s inclusion in oil exploration activities. He noted that Ogun State is part of the Oil Prospecting Licenses (OPLs) 302, 303, 306, and 307, which present unique opportunities for the state’s qualification as a Frontier Exploration State as defined in the PIA.
This development promises to bring significant economic benefits to Ogun State, potentially transforming it into a key player in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
