Nigeria, Africa’s biggest oil producer, is set to resume the importation of petroleum products from a neighbouring country, Niger Republic.
The Ministry of Petroleum Resources announced in a statement that the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding for petroleum products transportation and storage.
According to the statement, Niger Republic’s Soraz Refinery in Zinder, some 260km from the Nigerian border, has an installed refining capacity of 20,000 barrels per day.
In addition, Niger’s total domestic requirement is about 5,000bpd, thus leaving a huge surplus of about 15,000 bpd, mostly for export.
The ministry said the Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Group Managing Director, NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari and the Director-General of SONIDEP, Mr Alio Toune, under the supervision of the two countries’ Ministers of State for Petroleum, Çhief Timipre Sylva and Mr Foumakoye Gado, respectively with the Secretary-General of the African Petroleum Producers Organisation, Dr Omar Ibrahim, in attendance.
