The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) is set to return to Borno State for intensive crude oil exploration in the Borno Basin.
The commitment was secured by Governor Babagana Umara Zulum on Wednesday after a high-level meeting with the management of the NNPCL at the Government House in Maiduguri.
The NNPCL delegation was led by its Board Chairman, Engr. Ahmadu Musa Kida, alongside the Executive Vice President, Upstream, Udy Ntia, and Executive Vice President, Gas, Power and New Energy, Olalekon Ogunleye.
Zulum told the delegation that Borno holds enormous commercial hydrocarbon potentials that have remained largely untapped, adding that its strategic location bordering three countries makes it viable for huge investment.
He said resumption of exploration activities in the Lake Chad Basin would unlock the economic potentials of the state, create jobs and increase national revenue.
The governor also assured the company that his administration would provide adequate security for personnel and equipment for smooth operations.
Zulum however expressed concern over the stalled upgrade of the Maiduguri Emergency Power Plant.
He lamented that critical materials for the completion of the project have been lying at the site for about two years without progress on installation.
He urged the NNPCL leadership to intervene and ensure timely completion of the plant which he described as vital to improving electricity supply and socio-economic activities in Maiduguri.
Responding, Engr. Kida assured the governor that NNPCL would fast-track plans to resume drilling in the Borno Basin and would address the bottlenecks stalling the power plant project.
