Members of the House of Representatives have charged the federal government with the need to accelerate the geophysical survey/seismic acquisition.
The Chamber said it will help determine the availability of hydrocarbon in commercial quantities in the Bida basin of Niger State.
The request follows the resolution passed by the lawmakers during the debate on a motion sponsored by Saidu Musa Abdullahi seeking the intervention of the House to ensure the timely completion of the project.
In his keynote address, Abdullahi, who expressed hope that the country has the potential to become the leading oil reserve nation on the African continent, commended the efforts made so far by the current government.
Hon. Abdullahi also noted that the House has recognised that the discovery of oil in the northern region of the country is encouraging news for the energy sector.
Il a déclaré: « La Chambre note que le bassin de Bida, également connu sous le nom de bassin du centre du Niger, comprend huit zones de gouvernement local, dont Mokwa, Gbako, Bida, Lavun, Katcha, Agaie, Lapai et Edati, dans l’État du Niger, qui s’étend jusqu’à deux zones de gouvernement local dans l’État de Kwara et une dans l’État de Kogi.
« La Chambre est consciente que le directeur général du groupe (GMD) de la Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) lors d’une visite au gouverneur exécutif de l’État du Niger, Son Excellence, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello pour dévoiler l’acquisition de données sismiques 2D dans le bassin de Bida en 2020, a annoncé que la NNPC avait commencé des activités d’exploration pétrolière dans la zone et que l’exploration pourrait ajouter 40 milliards de barils aux réserves de pétrole du Nigeria d’ici 2023. »
Following the debate, the House instructed the authorities of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory
Commission (NUPRC) to conclude the geophysical survey that the former Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) started to verify the availability of hydrocarbons in commercial quantities in the Bida basin.
During his ruling, the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who chaired the plenary, led the joint committees on Legislative Compliance and Petroleum Resources (Upstream) to ensure that the resolution was complied with.