ABUJA: The Kogi State government is actively seeking investments to begin oil and gas exploration, aiming to leverage its status as the first oil-producing state in Northern Nigeria.
This development followed a meeting between Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission NUPRC, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe.
Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Ismaila Isah in a statement said the meeting which held in Abuja focused on attracting investments and technical support for the state’s hydrocarbon deposits.
Governor Ododo expressed the state’s commitment to collaborating with federal agencies and stakeholders to harness its natural resources for economic growth.
He listed several strategic steps the state has already taken, including enacting a law to establish an Oil Producing Area Development Commission.
The governor emphasized the need for a collaborative approach to ensure the development of the state’s oil and gas resources benefits both the people and investors.
He also expressed the state’s readiness to cooperate with the federal government to boost oil production, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s national goals.
Senator Lokpobiri reaffirmed Kogi’s status as an oil-producing state and pledged the federal government’s support in mobilizing investments.
The NUPRC is mandated by the Petroleum Industry Act PIA to explore frontier basins and deploy funds to unlock new discoveries.
Kogi State was officially recognized as an oil-producing state in 2022 after the federal government confirmed the discovery of oil in commercial quantities within its borders.
