NNPC Limited has announced its readiness to resume oil exploration in Borno State, more than two years after operations were halted. The decision follows a meeting with Governor Babagana Zulum, who pledged full government backing for the operations.
The meeting took place on Wednesday at Government House in Maiduguri. NNPC's Non-Executive Chairman, Ahmadu Musa Kida, led the delegation, while Group Chief Executive Officer Bashir Olujari confirmed the company's intention to work alongside the state government and local communities in the affected areas.
Exploration Plans and Solar Project
The proposed operations cover an oil basin spread across seven local government areas in the state. The discussions also touched on a planned solar power project aimed at supporting development in the region, according to Leadership reports.
Other members of the NNPC delegation included Executive Vice President, Upstream, Udy Ntia, and Executive Vice President, Gas, Power and New Energy, Olalekon Ogunleye.
Zulum's Conditions for Resumption
Governor Zulum pushed back on any suggestion that security was the reason exploration stopped, saying troops, police officers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force had already been deployed to guard the sites and equipment, as reported by BusinessDay.
However, Zulum raised two outstanding issues he wants resolved before full operations begin again. He called on NNPC to honour an earlier commitment to supply gas for the project, saying the withdrawal of that supply was a key factor in the suspension of activities. He also flagged the state of equipment that has sat unused at the exploration sites for more than two years, arguing that upgrading those facilities would be necessary before any return to work.
Security Assurances and Next Steps
On the solar energy component, Zulum expressed support for expanding the number of plants, saying more installations would help shield residents from the impact of rising fuel costs. NNPC did not give a specific date for when exploration would resume.
The resumption of exploration is expected to boost economic activity in the region, though the company has not yet announced a timeline for operations to restart.
