President Buhari Launches Nasarawa's Oil Exploration

President Muhammadu Buhari officially opened the Ebenyi-A Exploration Well, which is located in the Middle Benue Trough in the Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, for oil exploration on Tuesday.

In his virtual spud-in ceremony for the Well, Buhari instructed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPCL) and its partners to mitigate the negative effects of oil exploration on the environment.

The spud-in ceremony was led by Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule and NNPCL Group CEO Malam Mele Kyari on Buhari's behalf.

Oil exploration begins in Nasarawa

Gbenga Komolafe, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), retired Justice Bage Muhammad, Emir of Lafia, and a few royal fathers were among the other dignitaries in attendance.

Buhari stated that the new oil discovery was consistent with ongoing efforts to explore the nation's Frontier Basins for crude oil and gas.

He mentioned the Anambra Platform, the Chad Basin, the Dahomey Basin, the Sokoto Basin, the Bida Basin, the Benue Trough, and the Ultra-Deepwater Niger Delta as examples of this.

“Today’s occasion marks the official commencement of exploration drilling activities in the Middle Benue Trough.

“This is consistent with the commercial discoveries of hydrocarbons in the Kolmani Area of the Upper Benue Trough.

“I am pleased to note that activities are currently ongoing to develop the Kolmani petroleum discoveries to commercial production to add to the nation’s considerable hydrocarbon assets.

“I am encouraged by the enormous work done by NNPC Limited to exploit the prospects in the Middle Benue Trough, leading to the event of today,” he said.

The president thanked the NNPCL, NUPRC, and other partners for their significant contributions to the exploration.

He said he was pleased with the positive outcomes of the drilling campaigns, which, according to him, would increase Nigerians' prosperity and, more specifically, the country's overall energy security.

In addition, Buhari stated that the communities in the vicinity would especially benefit from the value that would be generated by the exploration and eventual production activities.

He also thanked the government and the people of Nasarawa, particularly the host community, for their unrestricted support and cooperation in making the exploration campaign successful.